CCS2: The Enemy Revealed
by HA Senidal
Summary: Now I know how J.K. Rowling feels :o Posts the final part and collapses
1. Prologue: A Preview of Things to Come

Note: All standard disclaimers apply. Special thanks to Starlight Rose for beta-reading this despite being very busy.   
  
[SD Sakura, Tomoyo, and Kero-chan appear. Tomoyo is excited.]  
  
Tomoyo: Oh, I'm so happy Sakura-chan's still a magical girl!  
  
Sakura: [Sweatdrops.] Tomoyo-chan...  
  
Tomoyo: But it's true! You're the only one who can stop this latest evil!  
  
Sakura: [Sighs.] Although Tomoyo-chan is exaggerating, she does have a point.  
  
Kero-chan: Yeah, something evil is out there, and it tried to get Sakura's Cards and Key.  
  
Sakura: You see, there was this evil clown called Psycho. He captured Yue-san, then told me he'd free him in exchange for the Sakura Cards and Star Key. I felt I had no choice, so I went to Tomoeda Yuuen to deliver them. In order to get to Yue-san, I had to enter Psycho's Funhouse.  
  
Tomoyo: I overheard Psycho talking to Sakura-chan and I told Kero-chan and Touya-san. We followed Sakura-chan to Tomoeda Yuuen, but we ran into our own trouble.  
  
Kero-chan: Robots, and a lot of them. Fortunately, I managed to defeat them in my magnificent true form. [Smiles.]  
  
Tomoyo: Touya-san also helped battle the robots. He was great.  
  
Kero-chan: [Snorts.] Whatever.  
  
Sakura: Meanwhile, I was being challenged in the Funhouse by Psycho. I managed to survive his traps and made it to the end. I gave my magical items to Psycho, but he was going to kill me.  
  
Kero-chan: Then we came in just in time to save Sakura-chan and cure Yue-san. Then we got a little surprise: Psycho was a robot, too. [Mumbles.] Oh, that was a big shock.  
  
Sakura: Psycho threatened to kill otousan, so my Guardians went after him. Unfortunately, two more robots tried to kill me, but I managed to outsmart them.  
  
Tomoyo: Meanwhile, Kerberos and Yue-san battled Psycho, who managed to overpower and defeat them.  
  
Kero-chan: [Groaning.] Don't remind me...  
  
Tomoyo: Everything seemed lost until Sakura-chan came on the scene. Oh, Sakura-chan, you looked so wonderful in your new battle costume!  
  
Sakura: [Sweatdrops.] I fought Psycho, but my Cards seemed to have no effect on him. It was tough, but I defeated him. It looked like he was gone for good.  
  
Tomoyo: Although Sakura-chan was magnificent, Psycho survived her attack and left, warning us it wasn't over.  
  
Kero-chan: Not by a long shot. The next time I see that clown, I'll kick his teeth in!  
  
Tomoyo: [Shows her camcorder.] Still, it made an exciting video!  
  
Kero-chan: Ohhhhhhhh, that blasted gaki's gotta be laughing at me after seeing that video.  
  
Sakura: [Softly.] Syaoran-kun...[Bows her head to hide the creeping blush on her face.]  
  
Kero-chan: I, the Guardian Beast, got my butt kicked by a talking toaster oven! I'll never be able to live it down.  
  
Tomoyo: Speaking of Psycho, he didn't seem like an ordinary robot. In fact, the robots we encountered were strange. Touya-san said when he threw one at another, it felt light. They seemed militaristic in organization. Also, they had the names of computer keys and terms. They do have a collective name: Cyber.  
  
Sakura: We still don't know why Psycho wanted the Cards and Key and who created him and the other Cybers, but there's still a chance they'll try again. Even if they do, everything will be all right.  
  
Tomoyo: Because you're Sakura-chan, possessor of the invincible spell! [Starry eyes.] Oh, Sakura-chan! Now that there's a new evil out there, you have to practice even more! [She pulls on a rope, and a rack of battle costumes rolls out.] I've got a lot of battle costumes ready and I have some poses and chants you might like!  
  
Sakura: [Sweatdrops.] Tomoyo-chan...  
  
The Enemy Revealed  
Prologue: A Preview of Things to Come  
  
"Wh-what's going on?"  
  
Clutching her Star Wand, Kinomoto Sakura looked around her. She saw nothing. She stood still in the darkness, then reached into her pocket and took out the Light Card. "Release! Light!" she cried, striking the Sakura Card. "Illuminate this darkness!"  
  
Light emerged and began to shine. Its luminescent glow appeared to overpower the surrounding darkness. Suddenly, the darkness reached out and engulfed Light. It struggled to break free. As it did, its glow started to falter. Sakura watched as Light faded away into its card form.  
  
Sakura caught the card. "What's going on?" she asked. "Light is one of the most powerful cards."  
  
A cruel laugh emerged from the darkness. "Why do you bother trying? Your magic is inferior to mine."  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura scanned the area for the speaker. "Who said that?"  
  
"I did." The voice came from Sakura's front. The Cardmistress made out the outline of a person. She made out a cape and thought she saw a crown sitting on his head. Although the darkness hid most of his details, Sakura thought he was wearing armor. The outline was possible because of a faint glow from his crown and chest. It was a light blue and in both locations, shaped like a small egg. A red circle shone where his left eye was.  
  
Sakura went into a defensive stance, her Star Wand out like a sword ready to strike. "Wh-who are you?"  
  
The stranger grinned. "Your superior, Cardmistress."  
  
"You're the one who sent Psycho, didn't you?" Sakura pressed.  
  
"Well, a working brain. Too bad it won't do you any good," the stranger said. "My power far exceeds yours."  
  
"What do you want?"  
  
"What you have."  
  
Sakura looked at the deck of Sakura Cards, then at her Star Wand. "I can't. I promised Clow-san and Eriol-kun!"  
  
The stranger laughed. "Foolish little girl! You don't know who you're dealing with!" He waved his hand, and Sakura heard an explosion.  
  
Sakura stared at the figure cloaked in darkness. "You won't get my Cards and Key," she said, determined. "I'll fight you if I have to!"  
  
The glow of the red circle intensified. "You'll regret that decision, Cardmistress," the stranger said threateningly. "You can't defeat me. The beautiful night will come, and all the laughter will go away."  
  
"Beautiful...night?" Sakura whispered.  
  
The stranger chuckled. "The beautiful night's coming, Cardmistress, and you can't stop it. Defy me and you'll die."  
  
With a laugh, the stranger disappeared in the shadows. Sakura stood alone, wondering what he meant. She heard more explosions around her, then voices behind her.  
  
"Hey, don't worry. We'll be there for you."  
  
"Yeah, we can take this bozo on!"  
  
"If we stick together, we cannot be beaten."  
  
"You're not alone, Sakura. I'll return to protect you."  
  
Sakura recognized the last speaker. "Syaoran-kun?" Just as she was about to turn around, a loud ringing broke out.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The alarm clock went off. Sakura grumbled and got up. Near her, the toy-like Kero-chan awakened. He joined his friend and mistress in yawning and stretching.  
  
"It was him," Sakura said.  
  
"Huh?" Kero-chan flew to Sakura's lap. "What are you talking about?"  
  
"Syaoran-kun spoke to me in my dream," Sakura answered.  
  
The small winged lion groaned. "Great, now he's showing up in your dreams. Yeesh, were you two in some romantic setting?"  
  
"Actually, it wasn't like that," Sakura said gravely. "I think I saw him."  
  
"The gaki?" Kero-chan asked, annoyed.  
  
Sakura shook her head. "The one who sent Psycho after me. The one called the User."  
  
Kero-chan got up. "You saw the User?"  
  
"Not really. Everything was dark," Sakura admitted. "I tried using Light, but the darkness overwhelmed it."  
  
"Light got overwhelmed?" Kero-chan could not comprehend that. "But it's one of the more powerful cards."  
  
"I know. After Light returned to its card form, the User spoke to me," Sakura said. "I couldn't really see, but he was probably wearing a cape and maybe a crown."  
  
"Go on," Kero-chan prodded.  
  
"He said I couldn't defeat him and that the beautiful night is coming," Sakura said. "Whatever that means."  
  
"Anything else happen?" Kero-chan asked.  
  
"After the User disappeared, I heard four voices tell me they'll be there for me. The last one was Syaoran-kun's, but I couldn't recognize the others," Sakura recalled. "However, two voices belong to girls and the other one was a boy's." She looked at the Guardian Beast. "Psycho was right. The User is coming here."  
  
"So? You can handle him," Kero-chan said.  
  
"I barely beat Psycho three days ago," Sakura said. "The User has to be more powerful than him."  
  
"Maybe, but you have more important things to worry about," Kero-chan said.  
  
"Like what?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Like getting ready for school," the Guardian Beast replied.  
  
Sakura gasped and looked at the time. "Hoe! I'm late!" She got off her bed, sending Kero-chan tumbling off her lap.  
  
"Some things never change," Kero-chan groaned, his eyes all swirly.  
  
* * * * *  
  
In Hong Kong, a young boy was on his way to school. It was early for him (it was around six in the morning), but he promised one of his teachers he would see him about something before school opened. His thoughts started to dwell on a girl with green eyes and auburn hair.  
  
"Syaoran, wait up!"  
  
Snapping out of his reverie, Li Syaoran stopped briefly to allow his cousin Meiling to catch up. He heard her catch her breath.  
  
"I was shouting at you to stop," the young girl managed to say between breaths. "Why didn't you?"  
  
"I...was thinking of something," Syaoran answered.  
  
Meiling noticed the light blush on Syaoran's face. "Don't you mean 'someone'?" she said.  
  
Syaoran bowed his head. His face was beet red. "What are you doing here? School isn't officially open yet."  
  
"I said I'd come with you so you wouldn't be alone, remember?" Meiling reminded him. "Anyway, don't change the subject. You miss her, right?"  
  
Syaoran sighed. "That and I'm worried about her."  
  
"It's the video Daidouji sent, right?" Meiling asked.  
  
Syaoran nodded. "I should've been there. If I were, Sakura wouldn't have gone through all that."  
  
"Much as I hate to admit it, she handled herself pretty well," Meiling said. "Not as well as I would have, but she did okay."  
  
"I wish I was there to protect her," Syaoran said. "I wish I stayed in Tomoeda."  
  
"But you didn't," Meiling said. "Syaoran, you still have family obligations here in Hong Kong. Maybe after you've fulfilled them, you can stay in Japan with the one you love."  
  
*The one I love...* Syaoran recalled how it took him a while to realize Kinomoto Sakura was the one for him. When he arrived in Tomoeda, they did not get along at first since he was determined to claim the Clow Cards for his own. As they worked together to capture the Cards, Syaoran saw that in spite of his resentment of her abilities, she still treated him kindly. As time passed, their relationship changed from being rivals to being friends. Soon friendship blossomed into love for the young magician. However, the object of his affection was blissfully unaware of his feelings, and his many attempts to tell her how he felt ended in failure. It was only after Sakura's final challenge with the reincarnation of Clow Read did he confess his love to her. Without any reason to stay in Tomoeda, he departed for Hong Kong. He could not bring himself to tell his beloved he was leaving, but Daidouji Tomoyo informed her best friend, and the young Cardmistress made it in time to the airport to say goodbye. They exchanged teddy bears and farewells, but he hoped to see her again. He did in the following summer, and during the capture of the final Clow Card, after it seemed his feelings were taken away, Sakura told him she loved him. The embrace they shared afterwards was forever etched in his memory. After controlling the crimson blush on his face, he faced his cousin. "Thank you, Meiling."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For making it possible."  
  
"I knew how you felt about her. I wanted you to be happy," Meiling said, remembering the promise she made to Syaoran to end their engagement if he found his true love. "Besides, I doubt your mother would've wanted me as your wife. It's my lack of magical ability, you know."  
  
They reached their school. Syaoran found the entrance open, just like Mr. Deng said. They entered. "It's different when the students aren't here," Meiling commented.  
  
Syaoran nodded and led the way to Mr. Deng's room. They heard their footsteps only as they walked through the deserted hall. They reached the correct room. Syaoran found the door was unlocked. He also sensed something strange, but he could not figure out what it was.  
  
"So, what did Mr. Deng wanted to see you about?" Meiling asked.  
  
"I'm not sure," Syaoran said as they went inside. "He was very vague on the phone yesterday."  
  
They looked around and found the room empty. "Huh?" Meiling said. "No one's here."  
  
"I wouldn't say that."  
  
Syaoran and Meiling watched as two figures appeared before them. One was large and had five spikes shooting out of his dome head. The other had a triangular head and a cape.  
  
"Robots?" Meiling said.  
  
"Like the one in Daidouji's video," Syaoran said. He glared at the newcomers. "Who are you?"  
  
"I am Hacker and this is my associate Cracker," the robot with the cape said, motioning toward the giant beside him. "I apologize, Mr. Li. I don't practice such dishonorable methods, but one of my fellow Masters was responsible for the phone call."  
  
"Yeah, and you fell for it. Hook, line, and sinker," the towering robot said.  
  
Syaoran and Meiling stood their ground. "What do you want?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"Your sword, Mr. Li," Hacker answered.  
  
"Yeah." Cracker gestured towards Syaoran. "Fork it over, kid."  
  
"Never!" Meiling shouted, glaring at them.  
  
Syaoran eyed the two robots before him. "Is that it?" He made his sword appear in his hand. "I'll be glad to give you a demonstration of its power!"  
  
"Ah, a duel." Hacker pulled out a rod from his back, then willed it to shoot out an energy beam. "Well, I accept your challenge, Mr. Li."  
  
*What is this, Star Wars?* Meiling wondered, looking at the lightsaber-like weapon in the robot's hand.  
  
"Let's waste him, Hacker!" Cracker declared, ready to charge Syaoran.  
  
"I will battle Mr. Li on my own, Cracker," Hacker said firmly. "It would be more honorable if we clashed blades like true warriors."  
  
"Honor, schmonor," Cracker grumbled. "Guess I'll just crush you instead, little girl," he said to Meiling.  
  
Meiling tensed up and faced her foe. "I'll show you what this little girl can do, you overgrown tin can!" she shouted, getting into a fighting stance.  
  
Syaoran glared at Hacker. *These robots tried to kill Sakura! I'll make them pay!* he thought angrily, remembering the video of the battle between Sakura and Psycho.  
  
Hacker stepped forward. "Well, Mr. Li, shall we begin?" he asked.  
  
* * * * *  
  
In England, Mizuki Kaho was driving home. "That was a wonderful day of shopping, wasn't it?" she asked the girl with frizzy red hair sitting next to her.  
  
A smile formed on the freckled face of Regina "Ready" Brighton. "It sure was! Thanks for taking us out, Miss Mizuki."  
  
"It was no problem, Ready," Kaho said. "I needed some help with the groceries."  
  
"And with navigating the streets," Ready added, grinning and pointing. "We turn here, Miss Mizuki."  
  
Kaho looked ahead and blinked, then made the turn. "Thank you, Ready-san," she said, laughing a little. "I nearly missed that."  
  
"No problem," Ready said. She watched the other cars pass by. "Man, I still can't get used to people driving on the left side of the road."  
  
"Well, we drive the same way in Japan," Kaho said.  
  
"Any reason why?" Ready asked.  
  
"I don't have a clue," Kaho answered. "Too bad Maya-san didn't come along with us."  
  
"Well, Maya loves Eriol's library," Ready said. "She loves books so much."  
  
"She certainly does," Kaho agreed. "During your time here, she's read about one-third of Eriol's library."  
  
"Hey, are we there yet?" someone groaned from the back seat.  
  
Ready turned around to face a pile of shopping bags. "We're almost there, Brandon."  
  
The head of Brandon Darque shot out of the pile, sending a variety of hats to the floor. "You said that about fifty times!" the dark-haired boy shouted, his brown eyes meeting Ready's blue. "I've been trying to breathe underneath all these hats you bought for a long time now! Why'd you have to buy them?"  
  
"Because I just loved the designs. You know me and hats," Ready said, pointing to the black beret decorated with gold and silver glitter on her head.  
  
"I prefer this one," Brandon said, referring to the black and purple baseball cap sitting on his head. A skull with a thunderbolt on it stood out on the front.  
  
"Sorry it's crowded back there," Kaho said apologetically. "There wasn't room in the trunk for those and the groceries."  
  
"You are lucky, Shadowwalker," a thin, pale man with dark hair told the boy. "At least you are not holding Miss Mizuki's purchases." He pointed at the bags on his lap.  
  
"And what is wrong with what I bought?" Kaho asked teasingly while keeping her eyes on the road.  
  
The man looked into one bag and saw women's undergarments. "Nothing," he said hesitantly.  
  
"Good, because I needed new ones," Kaho said. "My old stuff's getting holes in them. Curse that washing machine."  
  
"Umbriel, are you blushing?" Ready asked the man, noticing the red shade spreading slowly on his face.  
  
"I do not blush, Mistress," Umbriel answered, bowing his head. Unfortunately, he found himself staring at panties and bras. He looked out the window. Ready smiled and faced forward.  
  
Brandon chuckled at Umbriel's discomfort. "What's wrong? Can't take the sight of women's underwear?" he teased.  
  
Umbriel glared at the boy. "Care to explain why you volunteered to hold Mistress Ready's hats?" he whispered.  
  
Brandon gulped, his cheeks turning crimson. "Wh-wh-what are you talking about?" he whispered back. "She made me take this stuff. Heck, she ordered me."  
  
"'Brandon, can you please hold these for me?'" Umbriel said, recalling his mistress's words. "That did not sound like an order to me."  
  
Brandon looked out the window, his face still red. "Leave me alone," he grumbled.  
  
"Hey, what are you two talking about?" Ready asked her friends.  
  
"Um, I was complaining about the hats you bought," Brandon said quickly. "You really shouldn't have bought so many."  
  
"No prob for me," Ready said. "Being rich helps."  
  
"What about your parents? How would they feel if they knew about this?" Brandon asked.  
  
"Mom and Dad wouldn't mind. They'd understand," Ready answered. "Money doesn't mean much to them."  
  
"Oh," Brandon said. He looked at a small blue top hat with shooting stars and comets. "This blue matches her eyes," he whispered. He sighed involuntarily.  
  
"By the way, thanks again for holding those," Ready said.  
  
Brandon felt his face heat up. "Um, no problem."  
  
Umbriel watched Brandon . *Unthinkable. A Shadowwalker with a Starlighter. An impossibility in the past,* he thought. He looked at his young mistress. *Ready, if you only knew.*  
  
The car drove through the suburbs. "Too bad your training's almost done," Kaho said to the two kids. "Eriol says you three have been progressing well. He estimates that after one more month of training you'll be returning to America as better magicians."  
  
"He's a great teacher," Ready said. "He's good with magic."  
  
"He's the reincarnation of the most powerful magician in the world. Of course he'll be good with magic," Brandon said. "But did he have to make his Guardians attack us when we showed up?"  
  
"Eriol needed to make sure you were worthy," Kaho said. "As members of two of the world's most powerful magician orders and the heir of another, you three needed to prove yourself. He wanted to see if the Grand Illuminator and the Darkmaster were correct in their assessment of your abilities."  
  
"And we did prove them right," Ready said proudly. "We made our dads proud."  
  
The car pulled up to a large Victorian house in an isolated part of the suburbs. It contrasted with the modern houses they passed. Eriol, his Guardians, and Kaho moved there in order to have more privacy and room for Eriol's growing library. In the late night, it looked spooky, but Ready knew its inhabitants were friendly.  
  
"We'll miss you after you leave," Kaho said. "You and Nakuru have really gotten close, Ready. You even made friends with Suppi-chan."  
  
"A miracle in itself, considering your little 'problem' with cats, Ready," Brandon teased.  
  
"Well, there's an exception for everything," Ready said. "You prove that, Brandon."  
  
Brandon felt himself blush again. "Me?" he said, keeping his head down.  
  
"You're very kind for a Shadowwalker," Ready said. "Of course, I saw that after getting past the whole 'trying-to-kill-me' thing."  
  
"We were members of feuding magician orders," Brandon said. "I was told to kill you by my leader."  
  
"Thank goodness that feud is over," Kaho said as she parked. "Imagine, a centuries-long feud because of a simple misunderstanding."  
  
"A simple misunderstanding that resulted in many casualties on both sides," Umbriel pointed out. "Many conflicts have similar starts."  
  
"Well, I'm glad our parents got together and stopped the feud," Ready said as she got out of the car. "I mean, now we're both working to keep the world safe."  
  
Brandon got out with Ready's bags. "That's a good thing," he said, trying his best not to drop the bags.  
  
Umbriel stepped out, holding Kaho's bags and avoiding a look at their contents. Kaho walked to the trunk. "I'll get the groceries. Umbriel, can you help me?"  
  
"Of course," Umbriel said. He placed the bags of underwear on the ground and followed Kaho to the back of the car.  
  
"I hope Eriol will like what I'm making for dinner," Kaho said. "I also hope he doesn't mind eating around 10 PM. It took me forever to find that spice he started liking. He needs a good meal, especially to get his mind off whatever's been bothering him recently."  
  
"Eriol has been acting strangely," Umbriel agreed. "He keeps talking about some new presence. A malevolent one. He watched that TV report from Japan closely. The one on that amusement park..."  
  
"I still can't believe she and Eriol are together," Brandon whispered to Ready as they watched Kaho and Umbriel talk. "I mean, it's a little...weird. She's older than he is."  
  
"Technically, Eriol's older than her," Ready whispered back. "Besides, he can change his body into something more mature."  
  
"Yeah, but he does that only with other people," Brandon said. "He sticks with the kid form when he's around us." He looked at Kaho, who was opening the trunk with Umbriel watching. "Does she have a thing for younger guys or what?"  
  
Ready punched Brandon lightly on the arm. "Hey, keeping in mind he's way older than her, I think it's cute."  
  
"Well, then it's just an older guy-younger woman thing." Brandon winced from the punch, but strangely he found himself liking it.  
  
"Ready, you ring the doorbell and let Eriol know we're here," Kaho said as she and Umbriel started taking paper bags out.  
  
"Right!" Ready said.  
  
Brandon watched as Ready bolted up the stairs. *She's so fit. Not to mention a little pretty.* The thought made him blush again. He felt his stomach churn. *What the heck's wrong with me?*  
  
Umbriel watched the young Shadowwalker closely. Shaking his head, he walked towards the stairs.  
  
Ready was about to ring the doorbell, but she froze. Brandon dropped the bags and joined Ready at the door. "What's wrong?" he asked.  
  
Ready stared at the door. "Something's wrong. Can't you feel it?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm feeling something." Brandon checked the doorknob. "Hey, the door's unlocked." He turned it and opened the door. "Eriol always keeps the door locked."  
  
Umbriel sensed something. "Wait here," he told Kaho before rushing up the stairs. "I will go in first," he told the two kids.  
  
"Suit yourself," Brandon said.  
  
With Umbriel leading, they entered the house. They made their way to the parlor. Once they got there, they froze in their tracks. "Oh my..." Ready began.  
  
The parlor was in ruins. Furniture were either broken or lying on the floor. Eriol's throne-like chair was among the latter. Burn marks and slashes dominated the walls. A table was in pieces. What got their attention was the two individuals lying unconscious on the ground. One was a teen-age girl and the other was a dark cat with little butterfly wings. Both looked badly beaten.  
  
"Nakuru! Suppi!" Ready shouted as she ran to the fallen figures, people who befriended her and Brandon during their stay with Eriol. She knelt besides Akizuki Nakuru and checked the pulse on her neck. "She's still alive," she told her friends. Brandon knelt near Nakuru, allowing Ready to focus on Suppi-chan. "Suppi? Suppi?" she cried. Getting no response, she closed her eyes and placed her hands on the unconscious cat. Mumbling, her hands glowed, sending energy into Suppi-chan. When she was done, Ready addressed him again. "Suppi?" she asked, feeling a little light-headed.  
  
The cat opened his eyes and moaned. "W-w-who's Suppi?" he managed to say.  
  
Relieved, Ready hugged Suppi-chan. "Thank God you're alive!"  
  
Suppi-chan gasped. "Not if you don't let me go, Ready."  
  
Ready laughed and released Suppi-chan. "Sorry about that," she apologized.  
  
Nakuru opened her eyes gradually. Seeing Brandon, she stretched her hand towards him. "Oooooooogh, did we survive the train wreck?" she asked as Brandon helped her up.  
  
"Welcome back, Mr. Mom," Brandon said with a grin.  
  
Nakuru wanted to stick out her tongue at the Shadowwalker, but could not. "Hey, I like being female," she said weakly with a smile. "The clothing's more appealing."  
  
Kaho ran into the parlor and saw the damage. "What happened?" she asked.  
  
Suppi-chan tried to fly, but could not do it. "We tried our best, Kaho."  
  
"We really did, but it was no use," Nakuru said, trying to stand under her own power.  
  
Umbriel scanned the area. "There was a fight here."  
  
"You think?" Brandon said sarcastically, still keeping Nakuru up.  
  
"Unfortunately, we were on the losing side," Suppi-chan said.  
  
Kaho started to panic. "Where's Eriol?" she asked, looking around the parlor frantically.  
  
"He was taken," Nakuru answered. "We're sorry, Kaho, but we tried to stop it from happening. He was too powerful for us. We couldn't even beat him in our true forms..."  
  
"Who took Eriol?" Ready asked, amazed someone could defeat Eriol's Guardians and abduct him with ease.  
  
"Yeah, who was the guy?" Brandon asked.  
  
"We don't know who he was," Suppi-chan answered. "All we recall is that he wore a crown and cape."  
  
"He also had this weird design on his chest and crown," Nakuru added. "It looked like a shiny blue egg."  
  
Brandon let out a whistle. "One guy did all this? Dang."  
  
"Actually, he wasn't alone," Suppi-chan recalled.  
  
"How did he get in? Eriol had this place magically sealed against all intruders," Kaho wondered.  
  
"Perhaps you should change the locks then," someone said from behind with a giggle.  
  
All heads turned and saw a hunchback robot. On his shoulder sat a robot bird with two medallions hanging from its beak.  
  
"What the...?" Ready's eyes widened.  
  
"A robot?" Kaho asked, puzzled.  
  
Brandon spotted what was in the bird's beak. One medallion was golden with an eight-pointed star on its face. The other was silver with the same design as the one on Brandon's cap. A closer look revealed a ring being held at the tip of the beak. "Ready, that thing's got..."  
  
"Our medallions and Maya's ring!" Ready finished. "But if he has them, did he kill...?"  
  
"Oh, they're just unconscious," the hunchback said, giggling maniacally. "Out like a light on the floor upstairs. They didn't really put up a good fight."  
  
"How did you get in here?" Kaho demanded.  
  
The hunchback giggled. "The young lady there was nice enough to invite us in."  
  
All eyes were on Nakuru. "Well, I thought it was a makeup salesman."  
  
Everyone sweatdropped. "I thought you left with your master," Suppi-chan growled, trying his best to fly.  
  
"Oh, the User told us to go upstairs to get these," the hunchback said, pointing to the medallions and ring. "While he took Mr. Hiiragizawa, we remained behind."  
  
"Where's Eriol?" Kaho questioned.  
  
"Oh, the User's trying to get some information from him," the hunchback said, giggling. "Actually, you should be worried about yourselves."  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Brandon asked, glaring.  
  
His answer came in the form of flashes of light appearing around them amd forming portals. More robots, all thin and possessing claws, emerged from them.  
  
Ready gasped. "More robots?"  
  
"Okay..." Brandon said, eyeing the newcomers. Glaring at the new enemy, Umbriel stepped forward and shielded the others.  
  
"Master Techno, what is your command?" one of the robots asked.  
  
The hunchback giggled loudly. "Deleters, kill them."  
  



	2. Chapter 1: When Cybers Attack

Special thanks to SR for looking at this for me.  
  
The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 1: When Cybers Attack  
  
After devouring her breakfast and enduring the insults of her older brother Touya, Sakura raced towards Tomoeda Elementary School on her rollerblades. At the entrance to the school, she nearly ran into Daidouji Tomoyo--literally.  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Sakura-chan," the dark-haired girl greeted as she helped Sakura stablize herself.  
  
After getting control, Sakura bent down as she gasped for air. "Ohayo...gozaimasu...Tomoyo-chan," she managed to say between breaths.  
  
They made their way to the classroom. Inside, they found everyone talking. Sakura managed to hear "Tomoeda Yuuen" being repeated with excitement.  
  
"They're still talking about Tomoeda Yuuen?" Sakura whispered to her best friend.  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "The police are still puzzled on what happened there. They won't allow Tomoeda Yuuen to reopen until they come up with an answer."  
  
"Ohayo gozaimasu, Sakura-chan!" closed-eyed Yamazaki Takashi greeted.  
  
"Ohayo, Yamazaki-kun," Sakura replied.  
  
"So you're all still talking about what happened at Tomoeda Yuuen?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Hai, Tomoyo-chan," Mihira Chiharu answered.  
  
"I know what happened," Yamazaki said confidently, pointing upward.  
  
"Really?" Sakura said, her voice a little shaky.  
  
"It was gremlins," Yamazaki said.  
  
"Gremlins?" Sakura stared at Yamazaki.  
  
"Not again," Chiharu groaned.  
  
"The gremlins found the park made too much noise during the day," Yamazaki said, going into one of his infamous lies. "They sleep while the sun is still out because if they are hit by sunlight, they'll turn into strawberry jelly. Furthermore..."  
  
Chiharu snarled and took matters into her own hands...literally. She seized her vividly imaginative friend by the throat and proceeded to choke and shake him. "Gremlins? Why do you keep telling lies?" she asked him loudly. Yamazaki replied with a series of gurgles.  
  
"It wasn't true?" Sakura asked. For once, she recognized Yamazaki's tale as a tall one. She knew the truth behind Tomoeda Yuuen's temporary closing.  
  
"I think we should leave them alone," Tomoyo whispered to Sakura. The young Cardmistress nodded in agreement and left Chiharu and Yamazaki to themselves.  
  
Mr. Tereda entered the room. "Ohayo gozaimasu, Tereda-sensei!" all the students greeted.  
  
"Ohayo. Everyone get to their seats," the teacher said. Chiharu released her grip on Yamazaki, who showed his gratefulness by breathing normally.  
  
Sakura and Tomoyo made their way to their seats. "It's been three days now," Sakura whispered as Mr. Tereda got ready for class. "I guess I ruined everyone's chance to enjoy themselves at the park."  
  
"But it was for a good cause," Tomoyo remarked with a smile. "You had to defeat that evil clown."  
  
"True." Sakura's eyes moved to the desk behind her. She sighed as she took in the empty seat.  
  
"You wish he was here?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Hai," Sakura answered, her eyes still on the seat.  
  
"Don't worry, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said. "I'm sure Li-kun is thinking about you right now."  
  
* * * * *  
  
*They tried to kill Sakura,* Syaoran thought as he eyed Hacker. The Cyber stood in front of him, his beam saber at the ready.  
  
"Well, Mr. Li?" Hacker asked. "Shall we begin?"  
  
With a battle cry, Syaoran ran up to Hacker. He swung at the robot, who met his attack and knocked it away. Syaoran was surpirsed the robot's weapon did not cut through his blade's steel.  
  
"If you're wondering, I decreased my beam saber's power," Hacker explained. "It wouldn't be fair to you if I employed my weapon's full power."  
  
Syaoran responded with a series of rapid swings. His thoughts were on his beloved cherry blossom. *I'll defeat them, Sakura! They won't hurt you again!*  
  
"You're very motivated, Mr. Li," Hacker said as he blocked and knocked aside Syaoran's swings.  
  
"You tried to kill Sakura!" Syaoran shouted, continuing to swing.  
  
"Ah, the Cardmistress?" Hacker said, countering Syaoran's attacks and backing off. "Oh yes, according to our data, you are in love with her."  
  
This enraged Syaoran more. "I'll make you pay for what you did!" he declared as he charged Hacker. He leapt as high as he could in the classroom and brough his sword down. Hacker moved his blade in time to block the strike, and they continued to trade blows.  
  
Meanwhile, Cracker charged Meiling with his head down. Meiling leaped off the floor in time, and the robot crashed into the wall. Landing on her feet, she turned around to face her foe, who picked himself up slowly.  
  
"I'll make you pay for that!" Cracker growled, raising his fist at Meiling.  
  
"Yeah, what are you going to do?" Meiling taunted.  
  
Cracker's fist started to glow. "This! Dynamite Punch!" He struck the ground and sent an energy wave at Meiling. The female fighter leapt out of the way in time. Behind her, the wall exploded.  
  
Landing, Meiling eyed the big hole behind her. "Anything else you can do?" she taunted.  
  
Cracker growled and aimed his arm at Meiling. It morphed into a cannon. "Cannonbomb!" the giant robot shouted, firing a bomb. Meiling jumped in time, but the force of the explosion flung her through the hole and into the hallway. She hit the wall hard.  
  
Still fighting Hacker, Syaoran looked back to find out what happened. "Meiling!" he shouted as his cousin slid down the wall unconscious. He lost his focus, and Hacker knocked his sword out of his hand.  
  
"A true warrior always remains focused, Mr. Li," Hacker said sternly.  
  
Syaoran's sword clanged against the wall. Syaoran ran after it, but Hacker leaped in his way. The robot put away his weapon and assumed a battle stance. "Shall we try unarmed combat?"  
  
Syaoran responded with a flying kick which Hacker blocked. The young magician dodged a kick and returned with a series of punches. The attack caught Hacker by surprise, but he recovered and blocked the last few. Both went into a flurry of punches and kicks. Meanwhile, a robot bird swooped down from a shelf and landed next to the sword. It emitted a beam on the weapon and proceeded to scan it.  
  
Cracker advanced slowly on the fallen Meiling. He kept his cannon arm trained on her. "Heh. Too easy," he remarked, ready to fire another Cannonbomb.  
  
While jumping a sweep kick, Syaoran saw his cousin in danger. "Meiling!" he shouted with concern. Unfortunately, Hacker's next strike got him in the chest.  
  
"I warned you," Hacker told his opponent as he staggered back. The bird continued to scan the sword.  
  
Syaoran reached into his uniform and found some ofuda. Eyeing Cracker, he threw a few at the large robot. They hit Cracker's back and ignited. "Aaaaaaaaaa!" The large Cyber felt the heat and started swatting his back to put out the flames. While he did so, Meiling slowly regained consciousness.  
  
"H-hu-huh?" Meiling moaned as she opened her eyes. As Cracker swatted his back, Meiling got back her bearings.  
  
Syaoran threw his remaining ofuda at Hacker, causing a brief flash of fire. Hacker covered his face. Seeing his foe temporarily blinded, Syaoran saw the bird and his sword, then ran for it. The bird finished its scanning and flew up just as Syaoran reached his sword. When Hacker could see, he saw Syaoran reunited with his blade.  
  
"Raitei shourai!" Syaoran shouted, slapping an ofuda on the sword and sending a thunderbolt at the Cyber. The attack knocked Hacker to the ground. Syaoran thought he was down for good, but the Cyber recovered quickly.  
  
"Well, now that we're using projectiles..." Hacker activated his beam saber again. Syaoran noticed that its blade was glowing brighter than before. "Data Slash!" the Cyber cried as he swung his weapon, sending an energy wave at Syaoran.  
  
Syaoran moved out of the way, and the Data Slash exploded behind him, leaving a gaping hole in the wall. Finding more ofuda, he threw them at his opponent, who countered with another Data Slash. Syaoran leaped forward and clashed blades with Hacker.  
  
Getting back on her feet, Meiling eyed the helpless Cracker. "Payback time," she muttered. Before the large robot could make a move, Meiling did a flying kick on his chest, sending him crashing to the floor.  
  
Cracker growled and picked himself up. Without the fire on his back, he focused on Meiling. She moved in time to avoid another Cannonbomb, which destroyed one end of the hallway.  
  
"The headmaster's going to be very upset about this," Meiling observed before she dodged another Cannonbomb.  
  
"Hold still!" Cracker bellowed in frustration as he launched Cannonbomb after Cannonbomb at the agile Meiling. Meiling leapt at the Cyber and kicked him in the chest. Staggering back, Cracker roared and launched more Cannonbombs. Thanks to Meiling's agility, the only victims were the school walls. Frustrated, Cracker lunged at Meiling with a punch. It connected and knocked the young fighter to the ground. She rolled away in time to avoid a foot stomp which cracked the floor.  
  
Syaoran and Hacker continued their sword duel with neither gaining an advantage. The bird shrieked loudly, and then a portal opened. The bird flew into it quickly.  
  
"The Gateway!" Hacker exclaimed as he blocked another swing. "Cracker, we have the data! We can go now!" he shouted to his partner.  
  
"Finally!" After missing Meiling with another Cannonbomb, Cracker broke off from his fight and joined his fellow Cyber. "Guess I'd better bring down the house." He pointed his gun arm upward.  
  
"Cracker, what are you doing?" Hacker demanded angrily.  
  
"Making sure no one follows us," the giant Cyber answered. "Graviton Blaster!"  
  
Syaoran and Meiling watched as Cracker fired a burst of dark energy into the ceiling. The energy spread quickly, and soon they heard a loud creaking from above.  
  
"Huh?" Meiling said, puzzled. She got an answer when a piece of the ceiling fell followed by a desk.  
  
"He's bringing the entire school down on us!" Syaoran realized. Outside the room, pieces of the ceiling and equipment from the upstairs rooms were falling through. The whole building convulsed violently.  
  
"C'mon!" Cracker shouted to Hacker as he ran towards the Gateway. "We gotta get to Japan to take care of the Cardmistress!"  
  
"Cardmistress?" Meiling said as she dodged a falling bookcase.  
  
The word did not escape Syaoran's ears. *No, not Sakura!* he thought as he watched Hacker approach the Gateway. "Stop!" he shouted as he threw two ofuda at the exiting Cyber.  
  
With one blade swipe, Hacker dealt with the paper projectiles. "If you survive, we shall duel again, Mr. Li," he said before entering the Gateway.  
  
Angered, Syaoran continued to throw ofuda at the Gateway, but it closed. As the building shook more, Syaoran and Meiling dodged the falling debris. "Run!" he shouted.  
  
Meiling did not need to be told. The two cousins ran out the hole and did not stop until they were a safe distance from the collapsing school. They watched as the building caved in, leaving nothing but a pile of rubble.  
  
"That was close," Meiling said, noticing they were behind the school.  
  
Both saw what was left of their school, and then they noticed the large crowd of people gathering at the site. They recognized some of their classmates. "Um, I think we should leave," Meiling said. Syaoran nodded and they bolted out of the area while the crowd was too busy.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ready studied Techno and the large number of Deleters surrounding her and her friends. "We have to get our medallions and Maya's ring back," she said to Brandon.  
  
"Any suggestions?" Brandon asked. "The bird has our magical objects, and all the Guardians are sort of out of action."  
  
"Not all of them," Umbriel stated. A flash of light enveloped the room as he changed into his true form. Dark armor and a cape replaced human clothing. Gloves covered his hands. His ears became elven and longer. His pupils became red and stood out in their dark background. A tall, wide-brimmed hat sat on his head.  
  
"A Darkling? Is that supposed to impress us?" Techno said mockingly.  
  
Umbriel reached at his side and pulled out a sword with a long, curved blade. "Defend yourself!" he shouted.  
  
"Attack!" Techno ordered the Deleters.  
  
The Deleters rushed towards their prey. Some lunged at their targets, their claws stretched out and ready to slash something into pieces. With a battle cry, Umbriel swung his blade and cleaved them in half. Others went for Ready and Brandon.  
  
"Miss Mizuki, Spinel, Nakuru! Get back!" Brandon shouted as he stepped out of the way of a Deleter's claw slash. The three ran past the Deleters and into the kitchen. He grabbed the arm and performed a judo throw. The Deleter fell hard, but was not down for long. It lunged at Brandon only to be sliced in half by Umbriel.  
  
"Better watch yourself, Shadowwalker," the Darkling warned grimly as the Deleter disintegrated.  
  
Brandon was about to offer a snide retort when he saw Ready being attacked by three Deleters. The three robots slashed at the young Starlighter, who managed to dodge them with some ease. The Shadowwalker ran up to one and grabbed it by the waist. "Oh no you don't!" he shouted, trying to pull the mechanical killer from Ready. He got knocked aside for his trouble.  
  
"I believe you still have some magic power left," Umbriel told his charges as he knocked aside the swings of the Deleters. "You did practice with your magical objects before we left the house."  
  
Brandon stopped to think and realized he did have some power left. "I always keep forgetting..." He took aim at the nearest Deleter and blasted it with a dark energy ball. The target shrieked as it faded to nothing.  
  
Ready got the hint and blasted her other two attackers with light energy. She saw a Deleter behind Brandon, its claws ready to strike. "Duck!" she shouted to her friend. Brandon obeyed quickly, and the Deleter received a powerful light blast. Ready ran up to her friend. "Are you all right?"  
  
Brandon blasted another Deleter. "Never felt better," he replied with a grin.  
  
The Deleters ganged up on Umbriel. Feeling overwhelmed, the Darkling swung his sword wildly. Some Deleters were destroyed, but the others backed away and started firing missiles from their chest cavities. Umbriel could not block all of them, and the Darkling fell to the floor.  
  
"Umbriel!" Ready shouted as the Deleters advanced on him. She fired on them and knocked them down. "That wasn't what I wanted," she said, seeing that the robots were still intact.  
  
Brandon blasted a Deleter into the wall. "Um, Ready, I think we're having a power crisis," he remarked upon seeing the Deleter get up quickly without a scratch.  
  
Techno giggled. "You can't keep it up for long. Without these, you'll be running out of power soon!" he declared, pointing to the stolen items.  
  
"I hate to say it, but Igor's right," Brandon said to Ready as he blasted another Deleter down.  
  
"We'd better make it quick," Ready said, dodging a claw slash. "Now I'm starting to feel a little low on power."  
  
"Get them!" Techno shouted. The Deleters formed a wall between the kids and the hunchback robot. Their chest panels opened and revealed ready-to-launch missiles. They were about to fire when they were struck by various objects from the side. "What?" the hunchback exclaimed.  
  
Ready and Brandon watched as Kaho, Nakuru, and Suppi-chan hurled foodstuffs and Tupperware at the Deleters. The Deleters held up their arms to protect themselves from butter and ham. A Tupperware bowl bounced off Techno's head. The bird jumped up just in time to avoid a barrage of eggs. Before the hunchback robot could attack, Ready spread out her hands. "Illumination!" she cried, sending out a flash of light.  
  
"Aaaaargh!" Techno shouted. The bird shrieked and dropped its stolen goods from its beak. The Deleters paused momentarily.  
  
"My turn." Brandon rushed forward and picked up the medallions and ring as Techno and the bird struggled to regain their sight.  
  
"No!" Techno shouted, managing to see Brandon run away with his stolen goods. He eyed the bird. "Scanner, you incompetent...!" The bird only shrieked in response.  
  
Brandon placed the skull medallion around his neck. He placed the ring in Ready's hand and hung the star medallion on her neck without a second thought. Once the medallion was in place, Brandon realized what he did and turned away to hide the red color creeping into his face.  
  
"Thank you, Brandon," Ready said as she pocketed the ring.  
  
"Let's do it," Brandon said, getting his blushing under control.  
  
Ready nodded and held the medallion in her hand. Upon feeling her touch, it started to glow and a brilliant light shone from the young Starlighter. "Powers of light and star, hear my call! Help me to prevent peace's fall! Aid me in preserving this world's light! I, Ready Brighton, command you to come forth, Starlighter Staff!" A beam of light shot out of the medallion and revealed a golden staff topped with an eight-pointed star.  
  
Holding his medallion, Brandon glowed a dark light. "Powers of darkness and shadow, hear my plea! Help me in this reality! Aid me in fighting the terror of the dark! I, Brandon Darque, command you to come forth, Shadowwalker Rod!" he chanted. A beam of darkness shot out of the medallion and revealed a gray metal rod with a skull on top.  
  
Both grabbed their weapons. Once their lights faded, Techno found himself facing an armed Starlighter and a Shadowwalker.  
  
"Now let's kick robot butt!" Brandon declared. With a thought, he made his weapon shoot out a blade of ebony energy.  
  
Ready nodded and assumed a fighting stance with her Staff. Pointing it at Eriol's Guardians, she shouted, "Restoration!"  
  
Light from the Staff covered Nakuru and Suppi-chan. "Hey, I'm feeling stronger!" Nakuru declared happily.  
  
"So am I," Suppi-chan said. "Shall we?"  
  
Nakuru grinned. "Let's."  
  
Both transformed into their true forms. Nakuru was replaced by the butterfly-winged Ruby Moon. Joining her at her side was the butterfly-winged panther Spinel Sun. "Time to repay you for your previous treatment," Spinel said before blasting a nearby Deleter into oblivion. Ruby Moon joined in with a blast of her own, taking out two Deleters.  
  
"Destroy them!" Techno bellowed. The Deleters divided themselves to attack the Guardians and the young magicians. The rejuvinated Guardians dealt with their enemies easily. They blasted Deleters left and right.  
  
The same luck went with Ready and Brandon. Seeing her Guardian in danger, Ready blasted the attacking Deleters off him. Umbriel rose and slashed a Deleter in half. "Thank you, Mistress," he said before disposing of another Deleter.  
  
A Deleter tried to sneak up behind Ready, but she turned around just in time and blocked the slash with her Staff. She swept her weapon at her enemy's legs and knocked it off its feet. She bashed in another's head and blasted more Deleters.  
  
Brandon hacked his way through the Deleters. As more rushed him, he held his weapon up and shouted, "Shadow Dance!" His shadow sprung to life, and the two attacked the charging Deleters. Both Brandon and his shadow dodged slashes and missiles and reduced their enemies to nothing with their blades.  
  
The tide turned. Spinel Sun leaped on a Deleter and took out more with energy blasts. Ruby Moon tossed Cybers all over the place and watched as they disintegrated. Ready defended herself with her Staff and took out her enemies with bolts of light. Umbriel sliced past the charging enemy. Brandon and his shadow destroyed more Deleters with lightning speed.  
  
Techno and the Scanner watched as the Deleters were being terminated. Once they were done with their enemies, the young magicians and Darkling faced the hunchback, their weapons ready to strike. "Give up, Quasimodo?" Brandon asked with a grin, pointing his energy blade at the robot. His shadow copied his move. Behind the hunchback, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun stood, ready to attack.  
  
Techno snarled as he assessed his situation, then a flash of light appeared behind him. He giggled evilly. "Sorry, but I've got to go. I already have what I need." Still giggling loudly, he leapt into the Gateway with the Scanner. Umbriel ran after him, but the portal closed.  
  
Seeing that the threat was gone, Umbriel, Ruby Moon, and Spinel Sun returned to their false forms. "Damn!" Brandon shouted in frustration as he deactivated his Shadowwalker Rod, then made it disappear along with his shadow.  
  
Ready followed suit with her Starlighter Staff. "What did he mean by already getting what he wanted?" she wondered. Then she realized something. "Maya!" she cried out, and she bolted up the stairs. Everyone else followed her.  
  
The party ran into one of the bedrooms and found a young black girl in pajamas and three stuffed animals lying on the floor along with an opened bag of potato chips and a book. "Maya!" Ready exclaimed, kneeling down next to her best friend.  
  
Maya Torres groaned. "What hit me?" she managed to ask.  
  
The three stuffed animals stirred. "My goodness, what happened?" a small white unicorn with wings asked.  
  
A gray wolf picked herself up. "I believe we were attacked."  
  
"No duh, Lupe," a bear with a spiked shell and shades said. "I can't believe we got way-laid like that."  
  
Ready picked up a nearby pair of glasses. "You okay?" she asked Maya as she handed them to her.  
  
Maya rubbed her face and short hair before putting on her spectacles. "Besides the slight headache, I'm fine."  
  
"What happened?" Ready asked.  
  
Despite her headache, Maya recalled what happened. "I was just reading one of Eriol's books when I heard noises downstairs. I slipped on my ring and went for the door. Suddenly, these robots burst in. One of them looked like a hunchback, and he reached for your medallions on the desk. I tried to get a shot at him, but this bird flew off his shoulder and got in my way. The last thing I remember is being hit by some sort of energy projectile." She looked at her hand. "My ring! Did they...?"  
  
"Nope," Ready said with a smile. She reached into her pocket and gave the ring to her friend. She and Nakuru helped Maya to her feet.  
  
The unicorn spread her wings and flapped to Ready. "Uni!" Ready shouted as the creature landed in her hands. "Are you all right?"  
  
Pegasus Uni looked up at her mistress. "I'm fine, Ready. Just feeling a little disoriented."  
  
Brandon looked down at the bear. "O.G.?"  
  
"I'm cool, I'm cool," the bear replied. "Now where are those tin heads? I'll get medieval all over their metal butts!" he declared as he punched in the air.  
  
"They have left," Umbriel said.  
  
O.G. stopped punching. "Man! If they didn't get me by surprise, I would've taken them on in my real form."  
  
"Then the house would've been more of a wreck thanks to them kicking your big butt around the room," Lupe quipped.  
  
O.G. growled at the wolf. "I didn't see you do nothing!"  
  
Lupe growled back. "Well, at least I wasn't snacking on an entire bag of potato chips when we were ambushed!"  
  
O.G. and Lupe got into each other's faces. "Guys, please!" Ready shouted, trying to end the argument. "We've got bigger problems. Eriol's been kidnapped."  
  
"They took Eriol?" Pegasus Uni said, shocked.  
  
O.G. looked at Nakuru and Suppi-chan. "Weren't you two with him? You're supposed to be his Guardians, right?"  
  
"He was too much for us," Suppi-chan explained. "Eriol tried his best to defend himself, but he overwhelmed him."  
  
"How?" Lupe asked. "Eriol's one of the most powerful magicians in the world."  
  
"I think he's dropped a few places in the 'Most Powerful Magician' list," Brandon commented dryly.  
  
"Who took him?" Maya asked.  
  
"Someone in armor and a cape," Nakuru answered. "Eriol looked shocked when he saw the design. He kept saying 'It can't be' over and over."  
  
Kaho bowed her head. "Eriol..." She fought the urge to cry and her mind went to the plans she had before everything happened. "The groceries. Can someone...?"  
  
"I will," Umbriel said, leaving the room quickly.  
  
Ready walked up to Kaho. "Don't worry, Miss Mizuki. We'll get Eriol back."   
  
Tears started to roll off Kaho's eyes, but she kept herself from breaking down. "I hope so, Ready," she said, sniffling.  
  
Ready noticed the schoolteacher's tears. "Miss Mizuki, are you...?"  
  
"I'll be fine, Ready," Kaho said with a faint smile. "We have to be strong, for Eriol's sake."  
  
Brandon punched the wall, leaving a cracked dent. "Damn it, we need to find him!"  
  
"That will prove to be difficult," Maya said, adjusting her glasses. "We have no idea who took him and we don't know what that symbol stands for."  
  
"Well, there's only one thing to do now," Nakuru said.  
  
"What would that be?" Maya asked.  
  
Nakuru closed her eyes and yawned. "Go to bed. It's really late."  
  
Everyone else in the room crashed to the floor.  
  
"She has a point," Maya said after picking herself up. "It is late, and we need to rest."  
  
"What about Eriol?" Ready asked.  
  
Kaho looked at the Guardians. "I think Spinel and Ruby can find him."  
  
"Yes. We will look for Eriol," Suppi-chan said, motioning to Nakuru.  
  
"You and me?" Nakuru asked, puzzled. "But I want to go to the dress shop tomorrow. They just got a new shipment of..."  
  
"How can you think of dresses when Eriol is in danger?" Suppi-chan said, exasperated. "Once we're well-rested, we can start a search."  
  
"Oh, all right," Nakuru said, resigned.  
  
"We'll come too!" Ready said. Brandon and Maya nodded their agreement.  
  
"No, you won't," Kaho countered. "You three will stay here. The Guardians will find your teacher."  
  
"How?" Brandon asked. "Look in the phone book for 'Evil Robots-'R-Us'?"  
  
Suppi-chan raised a paw. "That's our problem, not yours. I want you all to go to bed. Eriol left you three some magic exercises to do, and I think he'd appreciate it if you did them all. They're basic exercises, but they'll require a lot of energy, so you'll need all the rest you can get."  
  
"But..." Ready began.  
  
"No buts," Kaho said firmly, wiping away a tear and wagging her finger. "You are still Eriol's students, and you still have your studies. Leave this up to us grownups."  
  
"But..."  
  
"The matter is closed. Good night." With that, Suppi-chan flew out of the room with Kaho. Nakuru gave the three kids a look of sympathy as she closed the door behind her.  
  
"Humph," O.G. grumbled, crossing his arms across his chest. "You gonna listen to them?" he asked his master.  
  
Brandon turned to Ready. "Well? What are we going to do?" he asked.  
  
"What's going through your mind, Ready?" Maya asked her best friend.  
  
The red-haired girl faced her friends. She wondered if Kaho was releasing her grief in her bedroom. Despite the schoolteacher's strength, Ready felt how much the kidnapping of Eriol affected her. She swore she heard the faint sound of crying. "What do you think?" she said softly yet determined, managing a little grin.  
  
Maya smiled. "I thought so."  
  
Brandon grinned. "Definitely."   



	3. Chapter 2: Assessments and Plans

Special thanks to SR for betareading this and to Hikari for helping me out with the fortune-telling.  
  
The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 2: Assessments and Plans  
  
Normally, Sakura enjoyed lunch. Her father packed her a delicious one, but her mind was not on food. Her friends noticed how she picked at her food and kept silent during their talking. Only Tomoyo knew why.  
  
"Sakura-chan, can we speak in private?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
Sakura nodded, and the two walked to the fountain. "Yes, Tomoyo-chan?"  
  
"Are you still worried about the Cybers?"  
  
Sakura nodded. "Hai." She looked into Tomoyo's eyes. "I had a dream last night. It had the User in it." Tomoyo listened as Sakura continued. "It was dark, so I tried to use Light, but it didn't work. Then he appeared and told me he was more powerful than me. Then there were all these explosions..."  
  
Tomoyo placed a hand on her best friend's shoulder. "You defeated Psycho. You were wonderful."  
  
"Tomoyo-chan..."  
  
"You managed to defeat Hiiragizawa-kun's magic. I'm positive you can handle the Cybers and this User." Tomoyo looked into her friend's eyes and smiled. "After all, you're Cardmistress Sakura. You possess the invincible spell."  
  
"This is different, Tomoyo-chan. I don't know anything about the User," Sakura said worriedly.  
  
"Sakura-chan, did you know anything about being a Cardcaptor when you started?"  
  
"No," Sakura answered truthfully.  
  
"Life is all about learning, Sakura-chan. I think you can defeat the User if you believe in yourself," Tomoyo told her best friend. "After all, you're Sakura-chan. You possess the invincible spell."  
  
Sakura looked at her friend like she was the wisest person on Earth. "Arigato, Tomoyo-chan." Something crossed her mind. "Oh, something happened in my dream before I woke up."  
  
"What, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo prepared to listen.  
  
"Four people spoke to me. They said not to worry," Sakura recalled. "One of them was Syaoran-kun." Upon mentioning his name, she bowed her head and blushed.  
  
"See, there's still hope," Tomoyo said. A light bulb lit up over her head. "Sakura-chan, you can tell fortunes with the Sakura Cards, right?"  
  
"Hai, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura answered.  
  
"Well, why don't you find out about the User with the Sakura Cards?" Tomoyo suggested.  
  
"That's a good idea." Sakura took out the Sakura Cards and her cell phone. "I'd better call Kero-chan. I haven't gotten the hang of interpreting the cards yet." She dialed her home phone number and waited.  
  
"Hello?" Kero-chan said on the other line.  
  
"Kero-chan, are you doing anything right now?" the Cardmistress asked.  
  
"Just playing an RPG, but I can pause," Kero-chan answered. "What do you want, Sakura?"  
  
"I'm going to use the Cards to tell a fortune," Sakura explained. "I need you to help me interpret them."  
  
"Okay. You know how to set them up?"  
  
"Hai."  
  
"Good. What are you trying to find out?"  
  
"What the User is like."  
  
"Hmmmmm, I see. Well, let's get started."  
  
Sakura shuffled the Sakura Cards and divided them into three piles. Next, she combined all three piles into one. Finally she picked one card from the top of the deck and placed it on the ground. She placed another to its left, then formed a diamond as she placed more cards clockwise.  
  
The Cardmistress held the Star Key above the diamond. "Sakura Cards created by my power, please answer my questions," she chanted, "Show me the true of the obstacle I face."  
  
She flipped over the top card. "Windy."  
  
"Looks like word's gotten out about you, Sakura," Kero-chan said.  
  
Sakura flipped over the middle card. "Create." Next was the card to its left. "Dark." Then came the one on the right. "Power."  
  
"Create's telling you the User's ability. Makes sense considering those Cybers. Dark indicates the User has a nature of that type. Power says he's got a lot of it."  
  
"Hmmmmmmm..." Tomoyo cupped her chin in her hand and pondered this information.  
  
Sakura flipped over the bottom card. "Fight."  
  
"Hoo boy. Apparently, the User's pretty confident and wants to test your strength," Kero-chan interpreted.  
  
"Now to find out what the User wants." Sakura picked the top card from the deck and looked at it. "Erase?"  
  
"Erase?" Kero-chan repeated. "That dosn't sound good."  
  
Sakura looked at the Cards she picked, then at Tomoyo. "I'm getting a bad feeling about this."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Syaoran watched as Sakura battled Psycho at Tomoeda Yuuen. He watched as the Sakura Cards failed to defeat the Master Cyber and did his best not to shout at the TV screen. When Sakura managed to cut off the clown's arm, he managed a little grin. When Mirror reflected Psycho's attack, he smiled fully. "Sakura..."  
  
From behind, Meiling and Syaoran's four sisters observed him. They saw Syaoran rewind the tape Tomoyo sent him.  
  
"He's been doing that ever since he came home," Fuutie whispered. "With classes being cancelled, you think he could find something better to do than watch TV."  
  
"He seems to be studying it," Shiefa remarked.  
  
"Can you blame him? His beloved was nearly killed," Fanren pointed out.  
  
"That and the same thing happened to him," Feimei said. "He must be trying to figure out how to fight these robots."  
  
"They're not so tough," Meiling remarked haughtily, standing tall with her hands on her hips. "The one I fought wasn't so smart."  
  
"If I recall, I had to distract him when you were knocked down," Syaoran said loudly, keeping his eyes to the TV. He was aware of his siblings and cousin talking behind him. Once again, he watched the battle between Sakura and the killer clown. "Sakura," he said softly.  
  
"Watching that video again, I see."  
  
All eyes turned to a tall, stately woman. "Mother," all four girls gasped.  
  
Li Yelan approached her son. "Syaoran, are you all right?"  
  
Syaoran turned to his mother. "Yes, Mother, I am. Meiling and I escaped without any injuries."  
  
"That's not what I meant," Yelan said, looking at the TV. Sakura was now engaged in a sword battle with Psycho. "She proved herself that night. You shouldn't worry about her."  
  
"But she was nearly killed." Syaoran rewound the tape to the point where the fake Sakura was caught by Time Bombs.  
  
"But she was clever in using a Card," Yelan pointed out. "Clow Read chose his successor well."  
  
The tape played on. "I should've been there," Syaoran said, closing his eyes. "I should've stayed in Japan with her."  
  
"You know you still have duties with our clan," Yelan told him firmly. "You can still visit her, and maybe someday you will ask for her hand in marriage."  
  
"Mother..." Syaoran bent his head down to hide his blushing. His sisters giggled in the background. Meiling shook her head.  
  
"I know you care deeply for the Cardmistress, but remember your obligations here. Once you complete them, you can return to Japan and stay," Yulan told her son.  
  
"Mother, Sakura barely survived her encounter with this," Syaoran said, pointing to Psycho's face. "He managed to counter the Cards, and Sakura's final attack wasn't strong enough to finish him off."  
  
"To make it worse, there are two more like him out there," Meiling added.  
  
Yulan nodded. "When you told me about the attack at the school, I admit I nearly laughed. However, recently I've been having a strange feeling."  
  
"A strange feeling, Mother?" Syaoran asked.  
  
"Yes, like something is wrong. A magic that should not be," Yulan elaborated.  
  
"A magic that should not be?" Meiling blinked. "What does that mean?"  
  
"Trouble," Yulan answered solemnly.  
  
Syaoran stopped the tape and stood up. "I guess there's only one thing for me to do."  
  
"What would that be, my son?"  
  
Syaoran faced his mother and steadied himself. "I'm going back to Japan, Mother."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Are the children in bed?" Suppi-chan asked Nakuru.  
  
"Yep," Nakuru answered. "Mizuki-sensei also."  
  
"That's good to hear." Suppi-chan pointed to the book in front of him. "All we need to do is master this teleportation spell, and we'll be able to track down Eriol's abductors."  
  
"Hmmmmm..." Nakuru studied the words on the page. "Looks rather complicated."  
  
"It is, but if I get it right, we'll be able to appear where the next target is."  
  
Nakuru looked up and down the page. "Are you sure you can do this? It's all in Latin."  
  
"I can master it," Suppi-chan assured her. "We'll be in Tomoeda in the blink of an eye."  
  
"Why do you think Sakura-chan is the next target?" Nakuru asked.  
  
"Yes, why her?"  
  
Suppi-chan and Nakuru were surprised to find Kaho standing in the kitchen doorway. She was wearing a bathrobe over her nightclothes. "Mizuki-sensei, shouldn't you be in bed?" Nakuru asked.  
  
"I couldn't sleep," Kaho said as she took a seat. "Not while Eriol is still missing."  
  
"You still have to teach at the school tomorrow," Suppi-chan reminded the teacher.  
  
"I'm still going," Kaho answered, rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Maybe you should take some time off," Suppi-chan suggested. "Just call the school and tell them some sort of emergency came up."  
  
Kaho shook her head. "No, no. I can handle it. Maybe my work will help me cope."  
  
"I'm afraid your emotional state will affect your teaching performance," Suppi-chan argued. "You need to rest. Someone needs to watch the children."  
  
"They have Umbriel and their Guardians," Kaho pointed out. "Besides, you managed to reseal the house."  
  
"That's right!" Nakuru said, beaming. "No more evil robots!"  
  
"Nakuru, keep it down. The children..." Suppi-chan warned.  
  
"Sorry," Nakuru whispered.  
  
Suppi-chan closed his book. "Mizuki-sensei, I think it's best for you to stay home. Nakuru and I will find him. Don't worry." He leapt on the floor and transformed back into Spinel Sun.  
  
Nakuru transformed into Ruby Moon. "We'll bring him back. I promise."  
  
Kaho wiped a tear away. "I hope so."  
  
Ruby Moon looked at Spinel Sun. "Any idea where he is?"  
  
"I might have one," Spinel Sun answered. "I've been noticing a few odd incidents lately in the news."  
  
"Like?"  
  
"Tomoeda Yuuen was closed recently due to repairs."  
  
"So?"  
  
"So some people reported sounds of a battle from there. The local police attributed that to vivid imaginations encouraged by too much alcohol or lack of sleep."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Also, I just learned from the Internet that a school in Hong Kong collapsed mysteriously. Investigators estimated it happened around the time we were dealing with the robots."  
  
"Hmmmmmm."  
  
"Hong Kong? Doesn't Li Syaoran live there?" Kaho asked.  
  
"Yes," Spinel Sun answered. "In fact, I confirmed that the school was in his area."  
  
"So Syaoran was probably attacked by these robots," Ruby Moon stated.  
  
Kaho gasped. "That's why you think Sakura-chan is the next target."  
  
"Exactly," Ruby Moon said.  
  
"Let us look at the facts. Tomoeda Yuuen was the site of a possible battle. We were attacked and Eriol was kidnapped. At the same time, Syaoran was possibly attacked." Spinel Sun looked thoughtful. "The obvious connection is Clow Read."  
  
"But they also tried to steal the kids' magical objects," Kaho pointed out.  
  
"Ah, we have found their motive," Spinel Sun said. "They are after magical objects."  
  
"But why?" Ruby Moon asked.  
  
"I'm afraid only the person behind these robots knows," Spinel Sun said gravely.  
  
All nodded before resuming their conversation. As they talked, they failed to notice the tiny listening device taped to the bottom of the table.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Nakuru was correct about one thing: the children were in bed. She was wrong that they were all asleep, however. In the girls' bedroom, Ready, Brandon, and Maya overheard the conversation thanks to a receiving device. The volume was kept low enough to prevent the people downstairs from listening to themselves. Brandon leaned against the bed and kept the receiver within sight and earshot.  
  
"I knew I had a good reason for building this," Maya smiled.  
  
"You're so smart," Ready remarked, looking over the homemade device.  
  
"Even though I now believe in magic doesn't mean I've given up my scientific roots," Maya stated. She looked at the desk, where Pegasus Uni and Lupe were sleeping. "I can't believe they fell asleep."  
  
"Well, they need the rest, especially for what they'll be doing tomorrow," Ready said.  
  
"Can you guys keep it down?" Brandon grumbled as he fought off sleep. "I'm trying to listen."  
  
All three kids paid attention to the conversation being broadcast through the receiver. "So when are you leaving for Tomoeda?" Kaho asked.  
  
"Now would be a good time," Spinel Sun replied. "We must go there and warn the Cardmistress that the robots will try again."  
  
"How will you get there in time?" Kaho asked.  
  
"We found a spell that will teleport us directly to Sakura's house," Ruby Moon explained. "Provided Spinel performs it correctly."  
  
"I will," Spinel Sun asserted with a low growl. "In fact, we'd better start."  
  
"What should I tell the children?" Kaho asked.  
  
"Tell them to do their lessons," Spinel Sun requested.  
  
"Tell them to do their lessons," Brandon mimicked. "Who is he...?"  
  
Ready and Maya put their fingers to their lips. "Shhhhhhhhh!"  
  
They heard Spinel Sun chant something in Latin. They were listening so closely they failed to see their door creak open and someone enter.  
  
"Hmmmmmm, this sounds familiar," Ready remarked as Spinel Sun continued to chant. Suddenly, the light went on.  
  
"It's a standard teleportation spell. It was in one of your lessons, if I recall."  
  
The kids turned around and found Umbriel hovering over them. "Um, hi, Umbriel," Maya greeted nervously with a wave.  
  
Brandon blinked. "Uh, my goodness, I must've sleptwalked in here again," he said, looking around as if dazed. "I think I should go back to my room."  
  
"An excellent suggestion," Umbriel said, glaring at the young Shadowwalker.  
  
"Gotta go." Brandon got up quickly and walked past the Darkling.  
  
Umbriel studied the receiver. "Mistress, care to explain what you are doing?"  
  
"Would you believe...?" Ready began, grinning sheepishly.  
  
"No, I wouldn't." Umbriel reached down and seized the receiver. "I will take this while you two get some rest. You need enough strength to do your lessons tomorrow."  
  
"Yes, Umbriel," Ready said with a sigh.  
  
"Good night, Mistress," Umbriel said as turned off the light and exited the room. He shut the door quietly.  
  
"Any other bright ideas?" Maya asked her friend.  
  
Ready yawned. "Umbriel's right. We really should get some sleep." She flashed a grin. "After all, we have a lot to do tomorrow."  
  
Maya grinned back. "Good night, Ready."  
  
"Good night, Maya," the young Starlighter said as she returned to her own bed.   
  
* * * * *  
  
"Nothing still?"  
  
"I'm afraid not. Despite my efforts, he still denies everything."  
  
"Hmmmmmmm, the User will be displeased."  
  
"Indeed. What should I do?"  
  
"Do nothing until you receive further orders from the User. I must inform him of this nondevelopment."  
  
After passing through a guarded large door, a white robed figure hovered towards the end of a large chamber almost draped in darkness. Two tall figures and a monstrous creature lying on the floor guarded a series of steps leading to a skull-shaped structure.  
  
"Majesty," the figure said with reverence.  
  
The skull's eyes and an egg-shaped design between them glowed. The figure watched as the upper part of the skull rose, revealing a person sitting on a throne. Only his eyes, red and yellow, were visible.  
  
"Report, Database."  
  
The robed figure fixed his red eyes on his leader. As he spoke, his fixed mouth emitted a yellow flash. "I'm afraid Mr. Hiiragizawa is being quite unwilling to cooperate with us, Majesty. He refuses to give us the information you seek," he reported in a cultured tone. "Apparently, he is strong enough to resist our...information extraction methods."  
  
"I see. Considering who his interrogator is, he would have talked by now. Good thing he's the reincarnation of Clow Read. Otherwise, he would be dead by now."  
  
"It could be possible he really doesn't know, Majesty," Database hypothesized.  
  
"Yes, that is possible. If it's true, then we've wasted a lot of time."  
  
"At least your Masters have delivered you magical energy to reduce the search field despite failing to perform successfully their secondary objectives."  
  
"It is not enough." The red eye's glow increased. "The search field is still too large. As of now, my Masters haven't found any new ones yet."  
  
"Then I assume you wish for the operation in Japan to begin?" Database asked.  
  
"Yes, Database. Inform the Masters in charge that they may commence the operation at once."  
  
Database bowed. "By your command, Majesty."  
  
A chuckle came from the figure in the throne. "Once I have the Sakura Cards and Star Key, Database, I will be closer to ushering in the beautiful night."  
  
"By my calculations, with the magical objects you've gathered or scanned, the Cards and Key will be powerful enough to reduce the search field, Majesty," Database stated. "Once you obtain all of them, you will be able to bring in the beautiful night."  
  
"Excellent." The Cyber leader leaned back. "And soon the laughter will go away."  
  
"What do you wish to be done with Mr. Hiirigazawa?" Database inquired. "With his apparent ignorance, he is worthless to you. I recommend immediate deletion."  
  
"Don't be too hasty, Database." A cold smile crossed on the Cyber leader's face. "I'm sure I can find something useful for him to do."  
  
"I've got a few ideas, Majesty." Two beady red eyes appeared behind Database.  
  
"I'm sure you do. Is everything ready?"  
  
"Yes, Majesty. Everything is ready for the attack."  
  
"Are you sure you need so many troops?" Database questioned the other Cyber. "In fact, why aren't you attacking the target directly?"  
  
The Cyber flashed a grin. "Because I wish to make a statement to the world that the User is the most powerful being on this planet."  
  
"In other words, you wish to partake in some of your so-called fun," Database said dryly. "Majesty, I question putting him in charge considering his previous failure."  
  
"Database, I wish to show the world how powerful I am. I consider this a declaration of war on the human world. I also consider this a chance for redemption for your fellow Master."  
  
The Cyber bowed. "Don't worry, Majesty. I won't fail you this time."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind. Now go and bring me the Sakura Cards and Star Key."  
  
"At once, Majesty!" With an insane laugh, the Cyber spun around and vanished.  



	4. Chapter 3: Game Start

SR, thank you very much for looking over this part for me :o)  
  
The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 3: Game Start  
  
"So Touya-san will be out again?" Tomoyo asked Sakura as they made their way towards the Kinomoto residence.  
  
"Hai. He has a part-time job," Sakura explained as she skated.  
  
"Another one? How many has he had?" Tomoyo asked curiously.  
  
Sakura shrugged. "I don't know."  
  
Sakura stopped herself before she could pass her house. She and Tomoyo entered the house to find Kero-chan flying before them. "Kero-chan? Why aren't you in my room?" Sakura asked before bending down to take off her rollerblades.  
  
"You have visitors," the Beast of the Seal answered.  
  
"Visitors?" Sakura wondered as she put on a pair of house slippers.  
  
"Hmmmmmm..." Tomoyo took off her shoes and replaced them with house slippers.  
  
"I think you want to see them," Kero-chan said as he flew towards the living room.  
  
*Who would want to visit me?* Sakura asked herself as she and Tomoyo followed Kero-chan. To her surprise, she found Nakuru sitting on the couch. Suppi-chan sat in her lap.  
  
"They just showed up a few minutes ago," Kero-chan explained to the two girls. "I heard a noise downstairs while I was playing video games. When I came down, I found them there."  
  
"Konnichiwa, Sakura-chan!" Nakuru greeted with an upbeat smile.  
  
"Konnichiwa," Sakura greeted back. "How did you get here? Where's Eriol-kun? Why isn't he...?"  
  
"Where's Touya-san?" Nakuru asked excitedly with a mischievous grin. "I haven't seen him in a long time."  
  
"Oniichan's working," Sakura answered.  
  
"Awwwwww," Nakuru said with disappointment. "I was hoping..."  
  
"Nakuru, please! We have more important matters to discuss with Sakura," Suppi-chan said urgently. He flew off Nakuru's lap and hovered before Sakura. "We have reasons to believe you are in grave danger."  
  
"Is it the Cybers?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Cybers?" Suppi-chan said, a little confused.  
  
"They're these robots who tried to take the Cards and Key," Sakura clarified.  
  
"But Sakura-chan stopped them," Tomoyo said excitedly. Her eyes became starry. "She was magnificent, and I caught it all on tape."  
  
Sakura bowed her head and sweatdropped. "Tomoyo-chan..."  
  
"Yes, it concerns the robots," Suppi-chan acknowledged. "Do you happen to have that tape?"  
  
"I have a copy in my room," Sakura replied. "Kero-chan, can you...?"  
  
"Hold on!" Kero-chan shouted, waving his little arms around. "Um, do you think that's necessary? After all, we can just tell them what happened and..."  
  
"What's with him?" Nakuru whispered to Tomoyo as she pointed to Kero-chan.  
  
"A Cyber defeated him and Yue-san in a fight," Tomoyo whispered back. "He's still upset about it."  
  
"I heard that!" Kero-chan shouted.  
  
Sakura pointed to the stairs. "Kero-chan..." she said, her eyes narrowed.  
  
Kero-chan huffed. "Fine, but one of these days, I'm gonna..." He flew up the stairs, grumbling all the way.  
  
"Why do you want to look at the tape?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Because I want to know how our experience compared with yours," Suppi-chan answered.  
  
"You mean you were attacked, too?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
Nakuru nodded. "We weren't so lucky."  
  
Suppi-chan bowed his head. "They took Eriol," he announced gravely.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura exclaimed. "They have Eriol-kun? How?"  
  
"They managed to get themselves invited in," Suppi-chan explained, glaring at Nakuru. She smiled weakly in response. "We assumed our true forms and tried to protect Eriol, but we were defeated."  
  
"By the Cybers?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"By their leader. Someone in armor," Suppi-chan clarified. "I believe he was wearing a crown and a cape."  
  
Flashes of Sakura's dream returned to her. "The User."  
  
"The User? You know his name?" Nakuru asked.  
  
"I had a dream," Sakura answered. "Did you get a good look at him?"  
  
"I'm afraid not," Suppi-chan said, shaking his head. "We got distracted easily by the robots, and he took us out."  
  
"Suppi-chan, do you think the same thing happened to Syaoran?" Nakuru asked. The question just popped into her head.  
  
Sakura's ears perked up at the sound of her beloved's name. "Syaoran-kun? They tried to get Syaoran-kun too?"  
  
Suppi-chan nodded. "We believe so. A school in Hong Kong collapsed under mysterious circumstances. I confirmed it to be the school Syaoran attended."  
  
Sakura gulped. "Is he...?"  
  
"No," Suppi-chan answered. "The story I saw reported no casualties."  
  
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness."  
  
Kero-chan returned with the tape. "Here it is," he said as he handed it to Tomoyo.  
  
Tomoyo walked to the TV. "Here we go," she said as she inserted the tape into the VCR and pressed "play."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kaho yawned as she walked towards the kitchen. She was planning to make a cup of coffee for herself and a piece of toast. She got a pleasant surprise when she found them preparing breakfast. Wearing a pink apron with "KISS THE CHEF" on the front, Ready was at the stove making French toast. Maya was making coffee. Brandon and their Guardians were busy keeping O.G. from eating the food already on the table.  
  
"Come on! Can't I have one bite?" the bear pleaded as he struggled towards the plate of bacon and scrambled eggs.  
  
"No!" Pegasus Uni and Lupe shouted as they held O.G.'s arms.  
  
"Not until Miss Mizuki comes down," Brandon told his Guardian sternly.  
  
"Then I guess we can eat," Kaho said, putting on a smile.  
  
"Good morning!" everyone greeted cheerfully when they saw the schoolteacher.  
  
"Finally!" O.G. broke free from his fellow Guardians' grip and dashed for the food. His freedom was short-lived because Brandon picked him up by the head.  
  
"Wait until Ready's done with the toast," Brandon admonished.  
  
O.G. struggled to break free. Since his head was being squeezed, the thought of withdrawing into his spiked shell did not occur to him. "You know, ever since you started helpin' the Starlighter, you've gotten soft, boss. You like her or somethin'?"  
  
"Wh-wh-what?" Brandon exclaimed as he dropped O.G. on the floor. He felt his face turn hot. "O.G., are you out of your furry mind?" he said to the Guardian on the floor. Unfortunately, O.G. could not answer. His eyes were swirly.  
  
"Huh?" Ready wondered from the stove. She was finishing up the French toast. "Brandon, did you say something?"  
  
"No," Brandon managed to say as he picked up O.G., his face still red. *That was close.*  
  
Ready shrugged and finished the French toast. Standing on the kitchen table, Pegasus Uni and Lupe watched as Kaho sipped her coffee. They and their masters knew that the poor woman spent the previous night crying over Eriol's abduction before succumbing to sleep. As they ate pieces of French toast, the winged unicorn and wolf noticed how affected the schoolteacher was. Her breakfast, two pieces of French toast drenched in maple syrup, stood on her plate untouched.  
  
Ready set the last of the French toast onto the table. Kaho picked one piece, then left it on her plate. As Ready sat down, she noticed the downcast eyes of Kaho and the untouched toast. "Miss Mizuki, are you all right?" she asked. "Is my toast okay? I know it's not as good as Er..." Ready stopped herself. "Oh, I'm so sorry, Miss Mizuki," she apologized, sensing the schoolteacher's anguish.  
  
Kaho looked up at Ready and kept her emotions in check. "Don't worry. I'll be fine." She poured some maple syrup on her toast and took a bite. "It's good, Ready. It has the right amount of cinnamon."  
  
Brandon took the seat next to Ready and set O.G. on the table. He picked out some French toast, eggs, and bacon. The smell of food revived the little bear, and he started munching down on Brandon's food. "This is great!" O.G. exclaimed. "I'm glad we didn't kill ya, Ready!"  
  
Ready smiled a little at the little joke. The young Shadowwalker yawned and looked at her. His eyes widened upon reading what was stitched into the apron. He quickly turned away and blushed, something that did not escape Maya's watchful eye. Shaking her head and smiling a little, she sat down and helped herself to some of the food.  
  
"Hey, where's Suppi and Nakuru?" Ready asked.  
  
"They went out," Kaho answered.  
  
"To look for E...?" Brandon was stopped by a glare from Maya.  
  
Kaho nodded. "They left late last night."  
  
"Oh," Ready said, pretending not to know.  
  
Umbriel entered the kitchen in his false form. "Morning," Ready greeted her Darkling Guardian.  
  
Umbriel nodded and looked at the table. "I see that you decided to make breakfast, Mistress."  
  
"Well, I thought we all needed a good pick-me-up," Ready said with a smile.  
  
"I'm amazed you were able to wake up early to do it," Umbriel commented, looking into his mistress' eyes.  
  
Ready laughed nervously. "Uh, yeah. It's a miracle."  
  
"Indeed." Umbriel turned to Kaho. "Miss Mizuki, will you be staying home today?"  
  
"I will be. Spinel recommended that I should," Kaho answered after a sip of coffee. "I'm going to call the school and tell them something came up."  
  
"Will they understand?" Maya asked.  
  
"I'll tell them it's a family emergency," Kaho replied. "I won't be lying exactly."  
  
"Then you'll be helping me with the children's training today," Umbriel hypothesized.  
  
Kaho nodded as she ate her French toast. "I will be."  
  
"Do you know where the materials are? Eriol did tell me where they were kept once, but I keep forgetting."  
  
Kaho dropped her fork. Everyone watched as she rose from her seat. "I believe I'll call the school now," she said in a controlled tone before leaving the kitchen quickly.  
  
Brandon glared at Umbriel. "Way to go."  
  
"Yeah, whay ta goh," O.G. mumbled through a mouthful of food, spitting out specks of bacon, eggs, and French toast.  
  
"I meant no offense," Umbriel said solemnly.  
  
"Poor Miss Mizuki," Ready said with worry. "We've got to do something."  
  
"Leave the searching to Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon," Umbriel told his mistress sternly.  
  
"And what if they run into more robots?" Brandon asked. "They got their butts kicked last time. What makes you think they'll win next time?"  
  
"I fear the odds are stacked against Spinel and Ruby if they run into more robots," Maya agreed. "They might need our assistance."  
  
"You are all officially in training," Umbriel reminded them firmly.  
  
"Hey, we've had battle experience," Brandon reminded the Darkling. "Okay, so we did try to kill each other..."  
  
"Technically, you were trying to kill Ready," Pegasus Uni corrected. "She was trying to defend herself."  
  
"Well, you two were trying to kill me," O.G. growled, glaring at his fellow Guardians.  
  
"We were protecting our mistresses," Lupe answered.  
  
"Well, I was protecting my boss," O.G. retorted.  
  
"Enough!" Ready shouted. "Umbriel, whoever kidnapped Eriol was obviously more powerful than him, and Eriol's Clow Read's reincarnation."  
  
"And you propose to go after the kidnappers while your skills aren't even on par with Eriol's," Umbriel said, folding his arms over his chest.  
  
"That's the plan," Brandon said with a small grin.  
  
"Ready and Brandon were able to defeat these robots," Maya mentioned. "They are not invincible."  
  
Umbriel nodded. "This is true."  
  
"Also, Spinel and Ruby got their butts kicked, so what's makes you think they'll be able to take them on the second time around?" Brandon pressed.  
  
"They have learned from their mistakes," Umbriel said calmly.  
  
"Umbriel, I can't let Miss Mizuki cry anymore," Ready said with determination in her voice. "She misses Eriol. We don't know what they're doing to him, but it's got to be bad." She gave the Darkling a serious look. "I'm going to find Eriol and these robots no matter what you, Miss Mizuki, or Suppi say."  
  
Brandon stood by Ready. "I'm with her."  
  
"As am I." Maya stood by her friends.  
  
"Us too!" the three Guardians declared from the table.  
  
Umbriel saw he was outnumbered six to one. "You are just like your parents, Mistress," he said, managing a little smile.  
  
"Does that mean you'll...?" Ready began to ask.  
  
"I am your Guardian. I am bound to serve you," Umbriel said with a bow.  
  
"We'll definitely need you," Brandon commented. "That is, unless you guys want to master a teleportation spell."  
  
"I suppose you have a plan, Mistress?" Umbriel asked Ready.  
  
Ready smiled. "You might say that."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Tokyo was alive. People filled its sidewalks and cars roamed its streets. The place was filled with the sounds of idle chatter and running motors. Some walked to places because business demanded it. Others wandered through the Japanese capital because they wanted to see its majestic sites. One was the Tokyo Tower, the city's answer to Paris' Eiffel Tower. Streaked in red and white, the structure stood out among the many buildings of the city.  
  
A Gateway opened above the tower, and Techno, Hacker, and Cracker appeared. They hovered above the structure and looked at the people below.  
  
"Look at all those humans," Techno said with a giggle while holding a large hammer.  
  
"Yeah. They're just walking around as if nothing's going to happen," Cracker said, eyeing the seemingly tiny people below him.  
  
"They are a fascinating species," Hacker commented, his arms crossed over his chest. "They look weak, but they are capable of great actions."  
  
"Ha! They're just big bugs waiting to be squashed!"  
  
The three Masters turned around to see someone emerge from the Gateway. He was a clown with a spiked pod for a lower body. Skulls made up his torso and shoulders. They also hung from the ends of his fool's cap. A death's head with a fool's cap adorned the front of his pod. He grinned at his fellow Cybers as the Gateway closed.  
  
"Psycho! Good of you to join us!" Techno greeted with a giggle.  
  
"Yeah!" Cracker said. "We were gonna start without you!"  
  
"What? You were going to start the party without me? I'm hurt," the evil clown said with a mock frown before breaking out into his weird laughter, a sound reminiscent of loud high-pitched gurgling. He watched the scene below through his beady red eyes. "Ah, Tokyo," he said, making a grand sweep with his clawed hand. "So large, so modern, so grand..." He studied everything below. "So utterly dull!" he said with disgust.  
  
"Hee hee hee. I have to agree with you, Psycho," Techno said.  
  
"Why don't we liven things up a bit?" Cracker asked, punching his open palm.  
  
"My dear Cracker, that's a brilliant idea!" Psycho exclaimed, flying near the large Cyber. He eyed Hacker, who was watching the people below silently. "Hey, Hacker, look a little excited! We're about to obtain the Cardmistress' little toys for the User."  
  
Hacker looked sideways at the evil clown. "I still question this plan of yours, Psycho," he stated firmly. "Why don't we just go to Tomoeda and confront the Cardmistress instead of doing this wastefully extravagant show you put together?"  
  
Psycho laughed his bizarre laugh. "Hacker, there's more people here in Tokyo. We can have more fun here instead of Tomoeda."  
  
"I am not interested in having fun," Hacker said harshly. "I am interested in obeying the User's commands."  
  
"And the User put me in charge of this operation," Psycho reminded his fellow Master.  
  
"I am aware of that," Hacker said with disgust.  
  
"Well, deal with it." Psycho turned to Techno and Cracker. "So, you wanna kick things up a notch?"  
  
"Definitely!" Techno said, giggling wildly.  
  
"Yeah!" Cracker agreed.  
  
"Okay, then!" Psycho raised his arms in the air. "It's play time!" he declared loudly.  
  
Below, Gateways appeared around Tokyo Tower. People stopped to look at the glowing portals. Cybers emerged from them, ready to carry out Psycho's orders. They were Deleters, the cone-headed Altrons, the missile-launching Inserts, the caped Caps, the tentacle-shooting Shifters, the orb-topped Controllers, the thin Arrows, the blade-armed Tabs, the tank-like Backspaces, the mole-like Enters, the tall-and-muscular Nums, the missile launcher Homes, and the heavily-armed Ends. Orb-shaped Cameras followed the Cybers. The reaction to the newcomers varied.  
  
"Nani?"  
  
"What's going on?"  
  
"Is it a movie?"  
  
"Whoa. Where's my camera?"  
  
"Mommy, are those real?"  
  
The Cybers responded by firing at the people, who responded by running away. As the Inserts marched forward, they fired at their surroundings. Trees exploded under their firepower, sending chunks of wood flying around them. The cone-headed Altrons fired their arms at their surroundings and ripped whole trees out of the ground. Other Altrons fired at the humans with laser rifles. Deleters and Shifters charged with their claws outstretched. Tabs joined in with their blades. The large Nums added to the destruction with rocket launchers. Caps grew and smashed cars, walls, and anything else that got in their way. Backspaces fired at anything live or inanimate. Enters dived into the ground and popped up before startled humans before roasting them with flamethrowers. Homes fired missiles from their tops, and Ends blew away everything with their arm and shoulder cannons. Controllers coordinated the attacking Cybers. The thin Arrows dashed through the sky and fired at skyscrapers and humans alike.  
  
Across the city, more Gateways spat out Cybers. People abandoned their cars just as they were blown up. They ran out of buildings just before a round of laser fire or missiles exploded on them. Some tried to find cover, but ended up running from an explosion or a lunging Deleter, Shifter, or Tab. Debris rained down on them thanks to the fast Arrows attacking from above and the Inserts and Altrons from below. If the falling concrete and steel did not kill the people, then the Cybers did. They did not discriminate among their targets. Male or female, young or old, all fell victim to the Cybers' weapons.  
  
The people in Tokyo Tower watched as the city erupted violently below them. Despite their fear, they fought the urge to stampede out of the tower, knowing the dire fate that awaited them outside. Above, Psycho and the other Masters watched the destruction as it spread. Buildings exploded in the distance and nearby. The clown waved his hand, and several Windows appeared showing the Cybers attacking at random in various parts of Tokyo. "Now things are really exciting!" he declared, grinning wickedly.  
  
"It's just like the movies!" Cracker exclaimed. "Hey, I hope that guy had insurance!"  
  
"Hee hee hee! Definitely!" Techno agreed. "There goes another car!"  
  
"Ouch! That's gotta hurt!" Psycho said as someone was shot by a Backspace. "Look, Ma, no head!"  
  
Techno giggled. "Little kid! 1000 points!"  
  
"Two kids and a mom! 5000 points!" Psycho declared gleefully.  
  
"Hey, I think that guy was a lawyer," Cracker guessed as an Altron shot a man with a briefcase. "Or was he a businessman? I can't tell the difference."  
  
"In any case, I'd say 1,000,000 points," Psycho said with a wicked grin.  
  
The three Masters continued to watch the devastation they started, occasionally laughing. As they enjoyed themselves, Hacker shook his head and resigned himself to silence as the chaos continued.  
  



	5. Chapter 4: Moving Out

Thanks to SR for really helping me out with proofreading this part.  
  
The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 4: Moving Out  
  
"Hmmmmmmm..." Suppi-chan said as the tape stopped playing, holding his head up with his paw. "I must say that you managed to handle yourself in battle, Sakura."  
  
"She was magnificent," Tomoyo gushed as she clapped, causing Sakura to blush. "And she was so brave."  
  
"Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura groaned.  
  
"Touya-kun was also great!" Nakuru declared. "He was so wonderful when he battled those Cybers."  
  
Suppi-chan hovered above Nakuru's lap. "There's a parallel to our situation in here. Namely, like us, your Guardians were defeated easily."  
  
"Hey!" Kero-chan flew into Suppi-chan's face and raised his fist. "If that clown hadn't changed forms, me and Yue would've beaten him!"  
  
"The one who attacked us beat us without changing shape," Nakuru recalled.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura looked at Nakuru. "You were attacked by another Cyber?"  
  
Nakuru nodded. "He looked like a hunchback, and he had this strange giggle."  
  
"Looks like Psycho isn't the only Master out there," Tomoyo concluded.  
  
"'Master'?" Sakura asked.  
  
"From what I know, I believe the Masters are the highest ranking Cybers, not to mention the most powerful," Tomoyo informed everyone.  
  
"Great. Now we have two Psychos out there," Kero-chan grumbled.  
  
"A good thing we came," Suppi-chan said confidently. "I'm sure we four Guardians can defeat these two Masters if they show up in Tomoeda."  
  
"Yeah!" Kero-chan pumped his fist. "This time we'll be ready for those tin cans!"  
  
"That's correct." Tomoyo pulled out a battle costume. "Sakura-chan, I made this for you yesterday! I'll look so good on you when you fight those evil Cybers again!" she declared excitedly as she thrust the costume into her friend's hands.  
  
Sakura sweatdropped. "Tomoyo-chan..."  
  
Tomoyo clasped her hands together. "Please try it on, Sakura-chan. I know you'll look so kawaii in it."  
  
"Remember, the right clothing will assist you in the psychological battle against your enemy," Kero-chan said merrily. "Go change in the laundry room."  
  
"Hoe..." Sakura sighed and carried the costume to the laundry room.  
  
"Is what he said true?" Nakuru whispered to Suppi-chan.  
  
Suppi-chan sweatdropped. "I guess so, but would you take advice from a video game addict?"  
  
"I heard that!" Kero-chan shouted.  
  
* * * * *  
  
In England, Ready and her friends were on the floor of the restored parlor looking over books that Kaho gave to them as study material. They insisted to her that they would begin their studies at once under Umbriel's supervision while she rested in her room. Ready was dressed in overalls and a yellow shirt with a rainbow-colored pillbox hat sittting on her head. Brandon wore his Shadowwalker cap and black clothes, as usual. Maya wore a yellow shirt and blue jeans. Umbriel stood over them, and their Guardians sat on the coffee table.  
  
"Okay, let me get this straight." Brandon looked into Ready's blue eyes and made sure to keep his voice low. "Umbriel's going to take us to Hong Kong to get this Li guy, then we're going to Japan to help the Cardmistress?"  
  
"That's it," Ready answered.  
  
"That is correct," Umbriel acknowledged.  
  
Brandon scratched his head. "Uh, wouldn't it be easier to just go to Japan without any stops on the way?"  
  
Maya adjusted her glasses. "Considering that we'll need all the help we can get, I hypothesize that Li Syaoran will be willing to come with us."  
  
"And how did you come up with that?" O.G. asked from the middle of the coffee table.  
  
"Obviously you haven't been paying attention to Eriol's stories about the Cardmistress and Li Syaoran," Lupe said with a superior tone. "That's what you get for snacking loudly."  
  
"Stop picking on me!" O.G. cried.  
  
"Ssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," Pegasus Uni warned, putting one hoof to her mouth. "Do you want to disturb Miss Mizuki?"  
  
"Sorry," O.G. whispered.  
  
"Oh, yeah," Brandon recalled, snapping his fingers. "Eriol mentioned that Sa-KOOH-ra and Showron were in love with each other."  
  
"You're pronouncing their names incorrectly," Maya told the young Shadowwalker.  
  
"Huh?" Brandon blinked.  
  
"The first syllable in Sakura is stressed more, and it's Syaoran, not Showron," Maya corrected.  
  
"A rose by any other name smells just as sweet." Brandon shrugged. "Does it matter?"  
  
"Only if you want to offend them," Ready said. "At least you can differentiate between Syaoran's first name and last name." She turned to Maya. "I can't believe Syaoran tried to take the Clow Cards from Sakura."  
  
"They were initially rivals," Maya said matter-of-factly. "Gradually, they worked together in capturing the cards..."  
  
"And Syaoran fell in love with Sakura." Ready's mind conjured romantic images of the Cardmistress and the Chinese magician. "Then Sakura fell in love with him. It's so romantic," she said, her eyes shining.  
  
"It wasn't that simple," Maya interjected. "According to Eriol, it took Syaoran a while to admit his feelings to Sakura, and only after the capture of the final Clow Card did she confess hers."  
  
"Didn't Eriol call her about the card?" Lupe asked.  
  
"I believe so," Pegasus Uni said. "I think we arrived in England around that time, right, Ready?"  
  
"That's right," Ready confirmed. "While we were out training, the final Clow Card was sealed and claimed by Sakura..."  
  
"Avalon," Brandon said suddenly.  
  
"No! Kinomoto. That's Sakura's last name. Kinomoto." Ready looked at her friend, who was skimming a large volume.  
  
"Huh?" Brandon looked up from his book. Noticing how Ready was staring at him, he quickly explained himself. "Um, I was just reading a little on King Arthur. I saw the word 'Avalon,' and I said it because it sounded cool."  
  
Maya shook her head. "Not exactly a Japanese name."  
  
"I didn't say it was," Brandon said. "Only an idiot would think that."  
  
Umbriel listened carefully. "I believe she is sleeping."  
  
"Are you sure?" Ready asked.  
  
Umbriel nodded. "We must go now."  
  
"Finally." Brandon slammed his book, which earned him stares from everyone else.  
  
"Ssssssssshhhhhh," everyone warned.  
  
"Sor-ry," Brandon whispered.  
  
Ready took out a note she wrote for Kaho and placed it on the pile of books. Everyone got up from the floor and picked up their Guardians. Umbriel walked up to them and changed into his true form. "You are all ready?"  
  
Ready nodded. "We are."  
  
"Hong Kong, here we come," Brandon remarked.  
  
"And then Japan," Maya added.  
  
Umbriel concentrated. The young magicians with their Guardians and the Darkling started to glow a blue light. Soon a blue flash engulfed the room. When it faded, everyone was gone.  
  
Upstairs, Kaho rose from her bed. Sensing something, she rushed down the steps and found the parlor empty. "Oh no," she said, realizing what happened. Walking to the pile of books, she found the note and read the following:  
  
Dear Miss Mizuki,  
  
I'm sorry to leave without your permission, but the Cardmistress and Eriol need our help. Please don't be mad at Umbriel. Everything was my idea. We're going to Hong Kong to get Li Syaoran, and then we're going to Japan. Don't worry. We'll bring back Eriol, and you'll be happy again.  
  
Love,  
Ready  
  
Looking around the empty space, Kaho smiled and shook her head. "Your parents were right about you, Ready-chan. Good luck."  
  
* * * * *  
  
The people in Tokyo Tower did their best to keep calm as they watched the surrounding Windows depict the slaughter and destruction below. Those with little children tried to assure them that everything would be all right.  
  
Hacker watched the humans from a distance. After the four Masters launched their attack on the city, they made the tower their base of operations and took all the visitors hostage. They were being guarded by Altrons armed by laser rifles.  
  
"You know, we should've killed them," Techno told the swordsman with an evil giggle. "They're dead weight. We don't need them."  
  
"Yeah. Why are we keeping them around, anyway?" Cracker asked, eyeing the people as if they were livestock about to be slaughtered.  
  
Hacker faced his fellow Masters. "Because the Self-Defense Force will figure out this tower is the nexus of our attack and head towards here. If we have prisoners, they will not attack."  
  
Techno giggled. "If they could get past our forces. Our Cybers are doing a good job at keeping them away."  
  
Above them, Psycho hovered and sang as he spun around. "Tokyo is blowing up, blowing up, blowing up! Tokyo is blowing up!" He stopped spinning and clinched his claws into fists. "Where's the Cardmistress?" he finished with a mix of anger, impatience, and frustration in his voice. His beady red eyes burned with rage.  
  
"Getting impatient, Psycho?" Hacker asked, sounding almost snide.  
  
Psycho waved his arms wildly in the air. "Here we are blowing up Tokyo, and Little Miss Pinky hasn't shown up yet!" He lowered himself to the floor. "What do I have to do? Send her an engraved invitation? You know, say 'Hi, we're blowing up Tokyo and we'd like for you to come or else'?"  
  
"I told you we should have gone to Tomoeda instead of putting on this little theatrical number of yours." Hacker watched as Altrons mowed down Japanese soliders and civilians on a Window. He observed more scenes of violence throughout the city. "I'm surprised you didn't employ any of our more powerful weaponry."  
  
Psycho shrugged. "Hey, I'm trying to get the kid's attention. If I used anything like Files and Buses, this city would be destroyed too quickly." He grinned malevolently. "I want her to have a little glimmer of hope before I snuff out all human life in this city and take her magical objects. That'll be a good laugh."  
  
"I'm sure," Hacker said, eyeing Psycho coldly.  
  
"Sooner or later, she'll have to show up, and when she does..." Cracker punched his open palm. "We'll be ready for her."  
  
Techno giggled loudly. "Yes. When she comes..." A large hammer appeared in his hands. "I'll break her bones into powder!" Giggling even louder, he swung his hammer onto the floor, causing pieces of tile to break off.  
  
Hacker watched as his fellow Masters laughed at the vision of the Cardmistress being defeated by them. His focus turned to the various Windows depicting the Cybers' attack. "For the city's sake, Cardmistress, you had better come," the swordsman commented in a low voice.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Sakura-chan, you look so kawaii!" Tomoyo exclaimed upon seeing her best friend in the battle costume.  
  
"Lookin' good," Kero-chan agreed.  
  
"Oh, Sakura-chan, you do look so kawaii!" Nakuru chimed in, smiling.  
  
Suppi-chan looked Sakura over. "Um, you look...visuallly interesting."  
  
"Hoe." The Cardmistress sweatdropped. Tomoyo's latest battle costume was a blue dome dress with red shoulder pads. Red gloves and boots were padded for safety. A red bow kept the matching cape on her. A red futuristic helmet with side antennae completed the outfit. A yellow star was present on the front of the outfit and the helmet.  
  
Tomoyo grabbed her camcorder and captured Sakura on tape as she flexed her fingers. "Sakura-chan, you're missing one more piece."  
  
Sakura sighed and pulled out a red eye mask with a yellow star between the eyeholes. "Only for you, Tomoyo-chan," she said as she donned the mask.  
  
Tomoyo smiled gently. "Much better. Now you look mysterious."  
  
"All right!" Kero-chan exclaimed as he shot up into the air. "Now you look like a superheroine!"  
  
"That's one person's opinion," Suppi-chan whispered to Nakuru.  
  
"Oh, Suppi-chan! Sakura-chan looks terrific!" Nakuru disagreed.  
  
"Who's Suppi-chan?" the dark cat asked, blinking.  
  
Sakura walked over to her friends. Despite all the padding, she was able to move normally. "Um, can we take it off now?" she asked her best friend.  
  
"Nonsense!" Kero-chan interjected. "You have to be prepared when the Cybers and the User show up."  
  
"But maybe they won't come today," Sakura said meekly.  
  
"You still have to be prepared," Kero-chan declared. "Now show us those poses we taught you." The Sun Guardian started performing various poses he saw on magical girl shows.  
  
"Go, Sakura-chan, go!" Tomoyo said encouragingly, still filming.  
  
"Hoe!" Sakura groaned.  
  
Suppi-chan and Nakuru sweatdropped. "I believe I'll check what's on TV," Nakuru said. She found the remote control and turned the TV on. The first sight that appeared on screen was a car exploding.  
  
"Hmmmm...must be an action movie," Nakuru commented as she changed the channel. The sight of Deleters rushing after people greeted her. "Um, everyone..."  
  
Sakura was next to see the TV. Soon everyone watched as footage of attacking Cybers and exploding cars and buildings played on the screen. "Those are..."  
  
"It's the Cybers!" Kero-chan shouted. "They're back!"  
  
A desk reporter, a middle-aged man in a tie and suit, appeared. "This footage was taken only about two hours ago. Apparently a horde of robots has appeared in Tokyo and are currently destroying everything in their path. The Self-Defense Force has been called in to help evacuate the citizenry and drive back the invaders. However, it seems that..."  
  
Nakuru flipped the channel and found another reporter covering the same story. Channel afer channel was covering the Cyber attack in Tokyo. "Oh, dear..."  
  
"...the death rate has risen rapidly as these strange mechanical beings continue their rampage throughout the city," another reporter stated over footage of bodies in the streets. "People are still fleeing their homes to escape the destruction, but..."  
  
"No. Those poor people..." Sakura whispered. *It's my fault. They died because of me...*  
  
Kero-chan stomped on the remote's power button, causing the TV to return to silent darkness. "It's time for Cardmistress Sakura!" the winged lion declared, pointing to the Cardmistress.  
  
Nakuru and Suppi-chan got up. "We must stop the Cybers from destroying Tokyo," the winged cat said. Nakuru nodded in agreement.  
  
The dead bodies were still in Sakura's mind. She recalled the images of men and women, children and adults; all were never to rise again. *All because of me* Her eyes narrowed with anger at the thought of the Cybers' evil and their victims. "Hai. We need to save the people," she said softly. *I won't let anyone else die because of me.*  
  
"Yeah! Okay!" With that, Kero-chan transformed into his true form, the golden-eyed Kerberos. "Let's kick Cyber butt," he growled.  
  
Nakuru and Suppi-chan returned to their true forms, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. "We will help you, Sakura," Spinel Sun told the Cardmistress. "We will serve as your Guardians until we find Eriol."  
  
"Arigato," Sakura said to them. She realized something. "Wait! Shouldn't we tell Yue-san?"  
  
"I think he'll join us there," Kerberos assured her. "Now let's go save Tokyo!"  
  
Tomoyo got ready to leave, but Sakura faced her. "No, Tomoyo-chan. You have to stay here."  
  
"Sakura-chan..."  
  
"Please stay here," Sakura pleaded. "I don't want you to die."  
  
"But I want to film your bravery while you're fighting the Cybers..."  
  
"Tomoyo-chan, please..."  
  
"Sakura-chan, why are you being so reluctant to let me come with you? I'll be fine because you're Sakura-chan, the possesser of the invincible spell," Tomoyo said, beaming.  
  
The Cardmistress knew that her friend was willing to go through any danger with her, but the dead people were still in her mind. Sakura took out her Star Key, and her magic circle appeared below her. "Release!" she cried, transforming the key into the Star Wand. She pulled out a Sakura Card.  
  
"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo stared at the card and recognized it.  
  
"I'm sorry, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura said softly. "Sleep!"  
  
Tomoyo felt her eyelids becoming heavy as the Sleep Card worked its magic on her. Her limbs slowly lost their feeling. "Sakura-chan, why...?" she muttered before she fell to the floor. Ruby Moon caught her in time and laid her on the couch.  
  
"You did the right thing," Ruby Moon said to Sakura. "I'm sure she'll understand."  
  
Sakura looked at her sleeping friend, then bent down next to her. She did not want to do it, but she wanted Tomoyo to be safe. "I'll make it up to you later," she whispered into Tomoyo's ear. Rising, she faced the Guardians. "Let's go."  
  
Sakura and the Guardians left the sleeping Tomoyo, knowing she would awaken later. Once outside, Sakura mounted Kerberos and took off into the sky. Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun followed suit. As they flew towards Tokyo, Sakura thought, *I won't let anyone else die because of me.* 


	6. Chapter 5: Arrivals

Thank you, SR, for looking over this :o)  
  
The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 5: Arrivals  
  
Dressed in his green traditional outfit, Syaoran attacked the training dummy on the pole with a flurry of punches and kicks. He visualized Sakura being attacked by the Cybers as he struck, increasing his impact with each blow. A kick to the head resulted in it flying off across the courtyard.  
  
Meiling watched her cousin train intensely. "Wei, how long has he been doing this?" she asked the Li family's manservant.  
  
"I believe it's been two hours now, Miss Meiling," the elderly butler replied. "He does take a break occasionally, but when he's done, it's back to the dummy."  
  
Meiling sighed as Syaoran continued to beat up on the headless dummy. *Syaoran,* she thought, *you really do care for her.*  
  
*I won't let anyone hurt you, Sakura,* Syaoran thought as he continued pummeling the dummy. Sweat poured out of his brow as he focused his blows on the chest. *I...* The dummy's seams started to split. *...won't...* Stuffing started to leak. *...let...* The seams weakened further. *...them!* Finally, the dummy's chest burst open, spitting out stuffing.  
  
Syaoran wiped his brow and caught his breath. As he did, he noticed Meiling standing next to Wei. He turned to face his cousin. "Did Mother send you to dissuade me for leaving?" he asked, not looking into her eyes.  
  
"Syaoran..." Meiling began.  
  
"My mother may intimidate me, but this time it isn't working," Syaoran declared hotly, clenching his hand into a fist. "I'm returning to Japan, and no one can make me stay."  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
"My mind is made up. I'm leaving, and that's that."  
  
"Syaoran!" Meiling bellowed, causing her cousin to look at her. "I don't agree with your mother."  
  
Syaoran blinked. "Huh?"  
  
Meiling nodded. "To be honest, if you love her, then you should be with her, family obligations or no family obligations."  
  
"I'm amazed you're not telling my mother this," Syaoran said, managing a brief smile.  
  
"Well, she's not exactly someone who's easy to talk to," Meiling admitted.  
  
"I would have to agree, Master Syaoran," Wei added.  
  
Syaoran nodded, then turned to the destroyed dummy. "Wei, can you bring out another practice dummy? I'll need more training before I encounter those robots again."  
  
At that moment, a flash of light appeared in the middle of the courtyard. Syaoran and the others watched as four figures fell hard to the ground. "What the...?" the young magician wondered, running towards the strangers. Meiling's curiosity was also piqued, and she followed her cousin.  
  
Umbriel was the first to rise. "We are here."  
  
Brandon got up and rubbed his butt. "You should've warned us about the rough landing," he complained to the Darkling, wincing.  
  
"Yeah," O.G. growled as he and the other Guardians got up.  
  
"I apologize," Umbriel answered.  
  
Maya got up and reached for Ready. Brandon was quick to be at Ready's side and held out his hand. Maya smiled and joined Umbriel.  
  
"Thank you," Ready said to Brandon with a smile after he pulled her up.  
  
Brandon's face heated up. "Uh...no problem..."  
  
"Hoo boy," O.G. groaned.  
  
"Hey, I find it kinda cute," Lupe remarked.  
  
"Someone's coming!" Pegasus Uni said, pointing towards the approaching Li cousins.  
  
Syaoran stopped and beheld the newcomers. "What in the world...?"  
  
*Boy, who's this guy's tailor?* Brandon thought as he looked over Syaoran's costume.  
  
"Li Syaoran, I presume?" Umbriel asked the young magician.  
  
"I am, and you are...?" Syaoran stopped and stared at Umbriel. "Wait, you're a Darkling!"  
  
Umbriel nodded. "You are correct."  
  
Brandon clapped. "Ooooo, good guess. Look, Syaoran, we need to talk..."  
  
Syaoran's eyes darted towards Brandon's cap, especially the symbol over the bill. His eyes widened at the sight of the skull.  
  
Brandon noticed the look on Syaoran's face. "Um, hello?"  
  
Suddenly, Syaoran summoned his sword and pointed it at Brandon's chest. "Don't move, Shadowwalker!" he cried.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Sakura, are you all right?" Kerberos asked the Cardmistress as they made their way to Tokyo.  
  
"Hmm?" Sakura blinked her eyes. "Did you say something, Kerberos-san?"  
  
"Just wondering if you're okay," the Sun Guardian said.  
  
Sakura sighed. "It's all those people. All those dead people..."  
  
"I'm afraid it's too late for them," Kerberos said solemnly. "Now we can only stop the Cybers from killing more people."  
  
"True," Sakura agreed sadly, her eyes downcast. "Why are the Cybers after me?"  
  
"Well, power attracts power, and you have a lot of it. Guess someone wants yours pretty bad," Kerberos argued.  
  
"That is true," Spinel Sun said, flying closer to the Cardmistress and his fellow Sun Guardian. "You are the most powerful magician in the world, Sakura. That guarantees trouble."  
  
"But the User can't use the Star Key," Sakura stated.  
  
"I think the person who managed to defeat Eriol can do anything he pleases," Spinel Sun said, offering his opinion.  
  
Ruby Moon flew closer to Sakura. "Are you still wondering about Tomoyo-chan?" she asked the Cardmistress.  
  
"Hai," Sakura answered solemnly. "During the time I went after the Clow Cards, she always helped me. Even when Psycho captured Yue-san, she still went after me with oniichan and you, Kerberos-san. I just feel bad about making her stay behind this time."  
  
"I'm sure she'd understand," Kerberos told his mistress. Staring ahead, he saw their destination. "We're almost there."  
  
Sakura gasped at the sight ahead. Smoke bellowed from parts of the city. The remains of buildings stood by some miracle. She shuddered at how many people were now dead. Then she remembered that she was the only one who can prevent more deaths. "I'm Sakura," she told herself. "I possess the invincible spell." She looked at Kerberos. "Let's help those people."  
  
Kerberos nodded, and led the way into the city under siege.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Psycho watched as the Cybers continued their attack on the city. He clenched his teeth. "If that girl doesn't show up, I'll..."  
  
The evil clown was interrupted by a disturbance behind him. Turning around, he noticed that a man had broken free and was attacking the Altron guards. He moved too fast for them to use their guns. He picked one Altron up and tossed him into three more. "I won't let you get away with this!" he declared before slugging another Altron in the face.  
  
"Heh. Looks like someone's looking to die early," Cracker quipped.  
  
After knocking down more Altrons, the man faced his fellow hostages. "We must resist these evil beings, no matter what!" he shouted boldly. "We outnumber them, so why should we be afraid?"  
  
Techno giggled. "Can I kill him?" he asked. "One good whack, and he'll have no head."  
  
Psycho flashed his white teeth. "No need, Techno. I'll handle this." He flew towards the man. The Altrons lifted themselves off the ground. "Hey, buddy, what's the problem?"  
  
The man glared at Psycho. "I demand you release us at once!" he announced, shaking his fist at the clown.  
  
Psycho grinned. "You demand me to release you?" He broke into his bizarre laugh. "Boy, either you're really brave or really stupid! Look around you. Are your fellow humans joining your little revolt?"  
  
The man looked around and saw everyone else eye the Cybers with fear. Some trembled and tried to stay calm. Mothers held their children closely. Men gave the Altron guards dirty looks, but stood still.  
  
Psycho hovered before the man. "Awwwwww, no one wants to help the hero." He beamed as the man, with his eyes wide and mouth trembling, started to back away. "Ooooh, not so tough now, are ya?" He chuckled as the man tripped and fell to the floor. "Somebody needs to learn a lesson in obedience!" His eyes glowed even brighter as he formed a dark energy ball in his hands. "Nightmare Illusion!" he shouted, firing the ball at the man. The ball formed a demonic bird and engulfed its target in darkness. The people watched as the man struggled before the darkness disappeared.  
  
The man rolled around on the floor screaming. "Get them off me! Get them off me!"  
  
The humans watched as the poor man rose and ran around the room shaking his arms in an attempt to get rid of his imaginary afflictions. Psycho broke out into laughter, and Techno and Cracker joined in. Hacker watched the spectacle and shook his head.  
  
Psycho stopped laughing. "Eh, I'm bored. Let's blow something up."  
  
"Good idea," Techno agreed with a chuckle.  
  
"Yeah! Why let the Servers have all the fun?" Cracker looked at Hacker. "You game?"  
  
"I'll remain here," Hacker said without looking at his fellow Masters.  
  
Psycho shrugged. "Suit yourself." He and the other two Masters disappeared, leaving Hacker in charge of Tokyo Tower.  
  
Some of the Altron guards watched the man fall to the ground and assume the fetal position. "Let's delete this garbage," the top-ranking Altron, a Formatter, suggested, leveling his weapon at the trembling man. The other Altrons pointed their guns at the human and prepared to fire.  
  
"Data Slash!"  
  
The Altrons watched as their guns were vaporized by an energy wave. All of them turned to the source of the attack. Hacker stood there with his beam saber out.  
  
"M-M-Master Hacker!" Formatter Altron exclaimed.  
  
Hacker stepped up to the Altrons. "I do not recall authorizing this," he said, addressing Formatter Altron.  
  
Formatter Altron stood at attention. "But, Master Hacker, the User despises humans..."  
  
Hacker got into the Formatter's face. "I do not see the User here. Besides, our current orders are to obtain the Sakura Cards and the Star Key for him, not exterminate humans." He looked at the poor man on the floor. "Now pick him up and return him to his companions."  
  
The Altrons followed Hacker's order without question. They returned the man to the other hostages, who began looking over him. Hacker put his weapon away and was about to return to watching the Windows play out the drama outside when he heard crying and shouting from the hostages. He examined them closely and found a mother holding a crying toddler. "What is the matter?" he asked gently.  
  
"I want candy! Candy!" the toddler yelled through his tears. Hacker heard the kid's stomach growl.  
  
The woman gasped at the sight of the Master Cyber. "Please don't hurt us," she pleaded, but my son hasn't eaten anything for a while now. We were going to a restaurant for lunch, but then..." The woman stopped as not to offend her captor. "He's also not sure if you're going to let us live or not. He's very scared."  
  
Hacker listened to the woman with interest. He spoke after she stopped. "Tell me, are the other young humans among you hungry?"  
  
"I think so," the woman answered nervously.  
  
"Hmmmmmm..." Hacker rubbed his chin. "Formatter!"  
  
Formatter Altron joined Hacker at his side. "Yes, Master?"  
  
"Find food for the humans who need it," Hacker ordered.  
  
"What?" Formatter Altron exclaimed. "Master Psycho wouldn't approve of this!"  
  
"Whose command are you under?" Hacker asked.  
  
"Master Psycho's," the Formatter answered.  
  
Hacker faced the Formatter. "Your Master is currently indulging his appetite for destruction, so I am in charge here. Carry out my order or I'll have you downgraded to a Bit."  
  
"But, Master Hacker, treating these humans with kindness will be frowned upon by the User..."  
  
"Are you challenging me, Formatter?" Hacker asked as he coolly pulled out his beam saber and activated it. The other Altrons watched this with nervousness.  
  
"N-n-no, Master!" Formatter Altron said, gulping.  
  
"Good." Hacker put away his weapon. "These people are noncombatants. Therefore, no harm is to come to them, and when we get the magical objects, we will release them. Understand?"  
  
"Y-y-yes, sir!" the Formatter blurted out. He turned to the other Altrons. "You heard Master Hacker's orders! Find food for the humans at once!"  
  
The Altrons scrambled around the room to carry out Hacker's order. Hacker turned to the woman. "Forgive me for this ill treatment of you and the other humans. Once we get what we want, we will release you and depart this city."  
  
The woman eyed the Master Cyber suspiciously. "How do we know you won't kill us?"  
  
"Because I give you my word as a true warrior," Hacker said solemnly, bowing.  
  
"Master Hacker!" A Controller approached the Master Cyber and bowed.  
  
"What is it?" Hacker asked, turning to the Controller.  
  
"We've detected a strong source of Star Magic in the area," the Controller answered.  
  
"She's here," Hacker concluded, nodding. "Have you detected Sun and Moon Magic as well?"  
  
"We have, Master. Shall I depart to inform Master Psycho?"  
  
Hacker waved his hand. "No. I'll tell him. Formatter!"  
  
Formatter Altron joined Hacker and the Controller. "Yes, Master?"  
  
"The Cardmistress is here. I am leaving to inform the other Masters. Make sure the humans are fed and keep them from doing something that will endanger them."  
  
"Yes, Master."  
  
Hacker turned to leave. "Oh, one more thing, Formatter."  
  
"Yes, Master?"  
  
"If there's even one human missing or crying when I come back, I'll have your head."  
  
"Y-y-y-yes, Master."  
  
Hacker disappeared, leaving the Cybers to find food for the humans. "Well, hurry up!" the Formatter bellowed to his subordinates. In the ranks of the Cybers, it was a bad idea to disobey a Master, so the Altrons continued searching for something edible for their hostages.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"There's a lot of Cybers down there," Sakura commented as she flew over the ravaged city. Below, the Cybers continued destroying everything in their path.  
  
"As long as they don't spot us, we'll be fine," Spinel Sun assured her. A minute after those words were uttered, laser fire came at the Cardmistress and the Guardians.  
  
"Well, that was nice while it lasted," Kerberos said as he dodged the shots.  
  
"It's about to get worse." Ruby Moon pointed to the ground. The Cybers were looking up and aiming their weapons at the magical beings. Soon Sakura and the others found themselves dodging ground fire and aerial fire.  
  
"Hooeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Sakura yelled as shot after shot whizzed past her.  
  
"They must have been programmed to target us when we arrive in Tokyo," Spinel Sun hypothesized as he avoided ground fire.  
  
"Gee, you think?" Kerberos shouted, barely dodging a missile from an Insert.  
  
Arrows came out of nowhere and fired upon Sakura and her friends. Ruby Moon stretched out a gloved hand and fired an energy blast at them. The Arrows moved out of the way and returned fire.  
  
"Not these guys again!" Kerberos shouted, firing at an Arrow in front of him. The Cyber flew out of the way and fired again.  
  
"Great, just great!" Kerberos growled. "Sakura, hang on! Everyone, follow my lead!"  
  
Sakura hung on tight as Kerberos flew straight at the Arrows. "Kerberos-san, what are you doing?" she asked, ducking laser fire.  
  
"I'm also wondering the same thing," Spinel Sun said.  
  
The Cardmistress and the three Guardians sped towards one group of Arrows while another group pursued them. "Go up now!" Kerberos shouted once they were close to the Arrows, turning upward. He flew up, and his fellow Guardians followed him. As the two groups of Arrows were about to meet, he remarked, "That'll take care of them."  
  
Sakura looked down. "Um, Kerberos-san..."  
  
The pursuing Arrows stopped in time to avoid a collision and joined their brethren in chasing their prey. "Well, that worked," Spinel Sun said dryly as he dodged more laser fire.  
  
"Damn! I guess they learned from last time," Kerberos observed.  
  
"At least we can dodge the ground fire easily," Ruby Moon remarked.  
  
"Maybe I should use my magic," Sakura suggested.  
  
"Don't, Sakura-chan," Ruby Moon said in disagreement. "You'll need all your power to face whoever's behind this."  
  
"We'll handle the Cybers," Spinel Sun said. He turned his head to fire an energy blast at their pursuers. Ruby Moon followed it up with a blast of her own.  
  
"Let's go!" Sakura said. Kerberos sped up and dodged more fire from behind and below.  
  
Some Arrows flew ahead of their comrades and positioned themselves above their targets. Sakura and the others found themselves in a laser rain storm.  
  
"They're trying to force us down," Spinel Sun realized.  
  
"Looks like we don't have a choice. Hang on, Sakura!" Kerberos said as he dived with his fellow Guardians and dodged enemy fire from all sides.  
  
"Hoooooooooeeeeeeeee!" Sakura yelled as she hung on tightly to Kerberos' fur.  



	7. Chapter 6: Running the Gauntlet

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 6: Running the Gauntlet  
  
"Joy Buzzer!" Psycho blasted an abandoned car with a electric bolt and watched the resulting   
explosion with fiendish glee.  
  
"Rocket Hammer!" From his hammer, Techno launched a barrage of missiles which exploded on   
the side of a nearby building, adding to its already devastated facade.  
  
"Graviton Blaster!" Cracker brought down another nearby building with a gravity-increasing shot.   
He broke into laughter as the structure collapsed, sending chunks of concrete and shards of glass raining   
down on the street below. "Boy, is this fun or what?"  
  
"Got that right!" Psycho declared as he blew up part of the sidewalk.  
  
"I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves," someone said dryly.  
  
The three Masters saw Hacker appear before them. Techno giggled. "Finally decided to join us?"  
  
"We've picked up Star Magic in the city along with Sun and Moon Magic," Hacker told Psycho,   
deliberately ignoring Techno.  
  
Psycho clapped his clawed hands. "Goody! Little Sakura's come to play, and she's brought her   
Guardians, too."  
  
"Well, then, why don't we give them a good old fashioned Cyber welcome?" Cracker suggested,   
readying his gun arm again.  
  
"Now, now, Cracker," Psycho said, grinning as he wagged his finger. "If she gets past all the   
Servers, we'll take care of her ourselves."  
  
"And if she fails to get past the Servers?" Hacker asked.  
  
"Then we'll take the Cards and Key off her little corpse," Psycho answered. "Back to the tower,   
boys! Let's see if the cherry blossom will survive long enough for us to kill her. After all, I have a promise   
to keep."  
  
"Since when did you keep promises?" Hacker asked with a sideways glance at the clown.  
  
"Hey, I always keep my promises to kill people," Psycho answered, placing his hand over where a   
human heart would have been. "Now let's go!"  
  
All the Masters except Hacker vanished. The swordsman studied the damage around him and   
wondered how many dead innocents were buried in the rubble. "All unnecessary," he remarked, shaking his   
head with regret. With a sigh, he disappeared and joined his fellow Masters at Tokyo Tower.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Brandon eyed the blade being leveled at him. "Huh? What the heck's wrong with you?" he   
demanded of Syaoran.  
  
"Don't move!" Syaoran kept his sword pointed at the young Shadowwalker. "How dare you come   
here! Especially what your kind did to my clan!"  
  
"Now hold on..." Brandon began to say as Ready and the others wondered what was going on. He   
waved his hands down slowly. "Now put away the sword..."  
  
"I told you not to move, assassin!" Syaoran swung for Brandon, who leapt into the air. The young   
Shadowwalker landed a few meters away from his fellow magician. Frustrated, Syaoran clenched his hand   
into a fist and shook it at Brandon.  
  
"Okay, I guess I'll have to knock some sense into you," Brandon said, staring down Syaoran. He   
reached for his medallion. "Shadowwalker Rod!" he cried, summoning his weapon.  
  
"Brandon, don't!" Ready pleaded.  
  
"Too late," Maya observed.  
  
Brandon activated his energy blade. "Okay, Greenbean, I'm going to seriously get medieval on   
your plant-colored butt!"  
  
Syaoran took out an ofuda and struck it with his sword. "Raitei shourai! Raigeki!" he shouted,   
sending a thunderbolt at Brandon.  
  
"Whoa!" Brandon exclaimed before diving out of the way. Getting up quickly, he fired a dark   
energy ball at Syaoran, who struck it with his sword.  
  
"Brandon, don't hurt him!" Ready shouted to her friend.  
  
"Me hurt him?" Brandon commented before leaping over another thunderbolt. "Tell him not to   
hurt me!"  
  
Meiling confronted Ready and the others. "Just try something funny," she said haughtily, showing   
them her fists.  
  
"We're not what you think," Ready told the pigtailed martial artist.  
  
"Really?" Meiling glared at Ready. "Well, why do you have a Shadowwalker and a Darkling with   
you, huh? Better answer me now or else!"  
  
Meanwhile, Syaoran charged Brandon and took a swing at him. Brandon knocked the blow aside   
with his own weapon, then counterattacked and exchanged blows. After making another swing, Brandon   
leaned towards Syaoran as he pushed his blade towards him. "I'm not here to kill you! We're here about   
Sakura..."  
  
Syaoran's eyes widened at the mention of his beloved's name. "Sakura? So you're after her?" He   
started pushing back. "I won't let you get to her, assassin!" Syaoran shoved Brandon to the ground and   
thrust his blade at him.  
  
"Shadow Phase!" Quickly remembering his Shadowwalker training, Brandon transformed into a   
shadow, and Syaoran's sword stabbed him without consequence. *Me and my big mouth,* he thought as he   
transformed back and got up. "We're not going to kill Sakura! We're here to help her!"  
  
"Spare me your lies!" Syaoran whipped out another ofuda and struck it. "Fuuka shourai!" A   
powerful gust of wind knocked Brandon to the ground before he could react. The Shadowwalker rose   
slowly and winced from the pain coming from his back.  
  
"Brandon!" Ready shouted.  
  
"Boss!" O.G. cried. He ran towards his master. "I'm coming, boss!"  
  
Syaoran blinked at the sight of the little bear. "Huh?"  
  
Brandon spotted his Guardian. "O.G., stay back!"  
  
"Raaaaaaaaagh!" O.G. roared as he started to glow.  
  
"What's going on?" Meiling demanded.  
  
Everyone watched as O.G. grew quickly and changed into his true form. Once the glow faded, a   
giant bear with metal limbs and a spiky shell stood before Syaoran. A pair of sunglasses hid the creature's   
eyes, a pair of spiked bracelets encircled his wrists, and a metal link chain served as a belt. The new O.G.   
stared down at Syaoran. "Okay, little boy! I'm gonna cram that little knife down your throat!" he bellowed   
in a deep voice.  
  
Syaoran moved in time to avoid O.G.'s large fist. Growling, O.G. was about to do another attack   
when Brandon, recognizing his Guardian's next move, shouted, "Don't! We don't want to kill him!"  
  
Taking advantage of O.G.'s brief pause, Syaoran threw ofuda at the Shadowwalker's Guardian,   
causing him to swat at the annoying fires. Syaoran took the time to blast him with a thunderbolt, sending   
him crashing to the ground. Brandon managed to get up and sneak behind Syaoran as he prepared to attack   
O.G. again. The young Shadowwalker grabbed the Li magician from behind, causing him to drop his sword.   
"Let go, assassin!" Syaoran growled as he struggled to break free. "I won't die at the hands of you or   
anyone else of your kind!"  
  
Brandon tightened his grip. "For the umpteenth time, I'm not here to kill you!"  
  
"I'll stop your evil no matter what you throw at me!" Syaoran declared. "Even that creature won't   
save you from my wrath!"  
  
"Getting a little melodramatic, aren't you? Been watching too many Chinese soap operas,   
Syaoran?" Brandon taunted, trying to keep his grip and resisting the urge to use his deadlier Shadowwalker   
talents. "Now if you promise to calm down and talk, I'll explain everything."  
  
Syaoran responded by breaking his arm away from Brandon's grip and elbowing him hard in the   
chest. As Brandon fell to the ground, Syaoran recovered his sword. O.G. got up slowly and rushed the   
Chinese boy. Syaoran counterattacked with a gust of wind, sending O.G. into some nearby trees.  
  
"Oh, dear," Pegasus Uni said as O.G. groaned and tried to get up.  
  
"Typical O.G. Always rushing into things," Lupe remarked, shaking her head.  
  
Wincing, Brandon muttered "Shadow Phase" and turned back into a shadow. "No, you don't,"   
Syaoran said, throwing ofuda at the young Shadowwalker. The ward papers burst into flames, and the   
shadow convulsed. "I know that in your shadow form, you can't stand fire or extreme heat." He tossed   
another ofuda in front of his sword. "Raitei shourai!" he cried, blasting Brandon to the ground with   
lightning. Crying out in pain, Brandon transformed back and fell.  
  
"Not good," Lupe said.  
  
"Oh, my." Pegasus Uni looked at Ready. "Ready, should we...?"  
  
As Syaoran advanced on Brandon, Meiling looked around for the speakers, then found the tiny   
Guardians on the ground. "Huh? What are those?" she asked, her eyes bugging out at the sight.  
  
Maya rubbed her chin. "I thought you would be familiar with Guardians by now, especially with   
your contact with Kerberos."  
  
Meiling glared at Maya. "How would you know about that stuffed animal?"  
  
"We know about the Sun Guardian of the Cardmistress from our studies with Eriol Hiiragizawa,"   
Maya stated matter-of-factly.  
  
"Hmph!" Meiling sounded with disbelief. "You could've learned about that from anywhere.   
Shadowwalkers have knowledge about everything magical. It makes their line of work easier."  
  
"We're not killers!" Ready argued.  
  
"Yeah, right." Meiling put her hands on her hips and glared at Ready and the others. "Prove it."  
  
Ready saw Syaoran standing over Brandon, who felt too weak to transform into a shadow. He   
pointed the tip of his sword at the Shadowwalker's neck. "It ends now, assassin," he said as he readied   
himself for the killing blow.  
  
"No..." Ready was about to run towards Syaoran and stop him when Meiling dashed into her path.  
  
"Not so fast!" Meiling said, showing her fists.  
  
Umbriel bent down to Ready's ear. "Show her your medallion, Mistress."  
  
Ready blinked. "Oh yeah!" She reached around her neck, causing Meiling to eye her suspiciously.  
  
"What are you up to?" Meiling asked warily.  
  
"This." Ready showed her medallion to Meiling. "Are you familiar with this symbol?"  
  
Getting in closer for a better view, Meiling's eyes widened at the sight of the eight-pointed star.   
"You're a..." she began to say with awe.  
  
Ready nodded. "Can you please tell Syaoran to stop?"  
  
"I'll try." Meiling watched as her cousin was about to bring down his sword on Brandon.   
"Syaoran, stop!"  
  
"Huh?" Syaoran froze, and Brandon let out a sigh of relief. "Why should I, Meiling? He's a   
Shadowwalker! Don't you know what they did to our clan?"  
  
Meiling and Ready approached him. "I know, but this girl is telling us the truth," Meiling told her   
cousin, motioning to Ready.  
  
"How would you know that?" Syaoran eyed Ready suspiciously as she reached for her medallion.   
He glanced at it, but his attitude changed once he saw its symbol closely.  
  
"You know what I am?" Ready asked firmly.  
  
Syaoran looked at Ready with amazement. "You're a Starlighter," he said in a barely audible voice.  
  
Ready nodded and motioned to Umbriel, Maya, and the Guardians. "This is Umbriel, my Guardian;   
Maya Torres, my best friend and Ecomancer-in-training; and our other Guardians, Pegasus Uni and Lupe."   
She saw Brandon try to get up. Crying out his name, she ran up to him. "Are you all right?" she asked with   
concern, noticing a burn mark on his arm.  
  
Brandon managed a faint smile. "It's going to take more than an overgrown string bean to stop me,   
Ready."  
  
Ready smiled and helped him to his feet. "Do you need me to...?"  
  
"I'll be fine, Ready," Brandon reassured his friend with a smile as they walked towards the others.   
"Healing ability, remember?"  
  
O.G. groaned as he picked himself up. "Oooooogh, kid packs a wallop," he said as he tried to   
regain his senses. Seeing that the fighting had stopped, he returned to his false form and walked towards the   
others.  
  
Pegasus Uni spotted O.G. and flew towards him. "Need a lift?"  
  
"Thanks." O.G. hung on to Pegasus Uni's hind legs as she flew back to the others.  
  
"O.G., cut down on the snacks," Pegasus Uni recommended as she struggled to stay in flight.  
  
"A Starlighter and a Shadowwalker being friends?" Syaoran looked at Ready, then at Brandon in   
disbelief.  
  
Ready nodded. "That's right. He's my friend."  
  
"And as I recall, Starlighters never lie," Meiling commented. "No matter how weird it seems, she's   
telling the truth, Syaoran."  
  
"How is this possible?" Syaoran wondered as he tried to comprehend the sight before him.  
  
"Ever since the two orders came to a truce, there has been an effort to cooperate and even   
integrate."  
  
Syaoran recognized the voice of his mother and turned towards her. She stood next to Wei and   
looked at her son, her niece, and the newcomers. "You would have known that if you paid more attention   
to your magic studies rather than to the one who captured your heart," she continued as she joined the kids,   
sounding a little stern.  
  
Syaoran bowed his head to hide his flushed face. "Mother..." he said, a little embarrassed.  
  
Yelan bowed to Ready. "I apologize for my son. He hasn't been himself lately."  
  
"I think I know the reason," Ready said, causing Syaoran to blush more.  
  
"And I probably know yours for coming here." The Li matriarch turned to her son and continued   
to admonish him. "If you had continued to pay attention to your magic studies, you would have known that   
this young lady is Regina Brighton, the daughter of the Grand Illuminator, the leader of the Starlighters."  
  
Syaoran bowed solemnly at Ready. "I apologize for my actions, Miss Brighton."  
  
"No problem," Ready said with a smile. "By the way, you can call me Ready."  
  
"Hey, what about my apology?" Brandon asked. "I'm the one you tried to slice and dice when you   
weren't trying to barbecue me." Syaoran gave him an icy stare.  
  
Yelan looked at Maya, then at the ring on her finger. "Ah, an Ecomancer. I thought they were all   
gone."  
  
"They are," Maya said. "Ready gave the ring to me as a gift, and now I'm training to be an   
Ecomancer."  
  
"An Ecomancer?" Meiling said, almost gasping. "Does that mean you can control the basic   
elements?"  
  
"That and more thanks to Eriol," Maya answered.  
  
Syaoran glared at Brandon. "If I recall, the Shadowwalkers killed all of the Ecomancers."  
  
"Hey, I wasn't born yet," Brandon said, his eyes shooting daggers at Syaoran's. As much as he   
hated to, the young Shadowwalker let go of Ready and stood on his own two feet.  
  
Pegasus Uni dropped O.G. on Brandon's shoulder and landed on Ready's. "Are you all right?"   
Brandon asked his Guardian.  
  
"Hey, I'm Oso Grande, boss," O.G. said energetically with a big thumbs up. "Nothing can keep me   
down."  
  
"I believe a little talk inside will resolve some issues," Yelan suggested. "Will you join us for some   
refreshments in our humble home, Miss Brighton? I would be honored to have a Starlighter in my house,   
and I have something you might want to see."  
  
"Thank you, Mrs. Li," Ready replied politely, recalling her parents' etiquette lessons.  
  
"Wei," Yelan said, turning to the family manservant.  
  
"Follow me, please," Wei said, leading the way to the house.  
  
As everyone walked towards the house, Syaoran glared at Brandon. "I don't care if you're a friend   
of a Starlighter. I trust you as far as I can throw you, assassin."  
  
Brandon and O.G. glared back. "Well, the next time you attack me with no apparent reason, I'm   
gonna kick your sorry butt all the way to the Moon, Greenbean."  
  
"That's right!" O.G. added, showing his teeth and shaking his clenched paw.  
  
"Assassin," Syaoran said, narrowing his eyes at Brandon.  
  
"Greenbean," Brandon shot back, meeting Syaoran's gaze.  
  
"Assassin."  
  
"Greenbean."  
  
"Assassin."  
  
"Greenbean."  
  
"Assassin."  
  
"Greenbean."  
  
"Assassin!" Syaoran shouted, getting into Brandon's face.  
  
"Greenbean!" Brandon shouted, getting into Syaoran's face.  
  
"Brandon, come on!"  
  
"Syaoran, hurry up! You must show our guests the tape you've been watching for the past few   
days!"  
  
"We'll be right there!" Syaoran and Brandon responded. Both boys heeded the voices of Ready and   
Yelan and hurried into the house. They continued to glare at each other, growling occasionally through their   
clenched teeth.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Hoooooooeeeeeeee!" Sakura cried as Kerberos flew past lasers and missile explosions. They and   
their friends flew through the city as fast as they could as the Cybers fired at them.  
  
"They've got us outnumbered!" Ruby Moon shouted as she took out some Altrons on the ground,   
only to be fired upon by Backspaces and Nums.  
  
Spinel Sun took out a pair of Homes and some Altrons only to get shot at by an End. "No matter   
how many we take out, more take their place."  
  
"Somebody take out the guys above us!" Kerberos shouted as he dodged Arrow fire. "They're   
driving us towards the ground!" Right below him, a Deleter leaped at him with its claws outstretched.   
Luckily, it could not reach him.  
  
Ruby Moon looked up at the Arrows. "I've got it." She flung a powerful gust of wind their way,   
sending them flying through the air. Some flew into buildings and into each other, resulting in small   
explosions. However, others managed to regain control and resume their pursuit. To make matters worse,   
more Arrows took the place of their destroyed comrades and joined in on the attack.  
  
"There's too many of them, Kerberos-san!" Sakura cried as she watched Ruby Moon take out more   
Arrows only to face more, then saw Spinel Sun destroy the ground troops only to get shot at by more.  
  
"Don't worry, Sakura," Kerberos said, pausing to toast a bunch of gun-toting Altrons, "we'll get   
you to the source of all this trouble in one piece."  
  
"Just where are we going?" Ruby Moon asked as she continued firing on the Arrows and dodging   
their shots.  
  
Kerberos rose slightly to avoid a missile launched by a Home Cyber. "Yeah. Just where are we   
going?" he asked as the missile exploded harmlessly on a nearby skyscraper.  
  
"Apparently these Cybers are keeping us from someplace, so we should keep going in this   
direction," Spinel Sun suggested as he destroyed more ground-based Cybers.  
  
"I agree with Spinel-san," Sakura said, pointing her Star Wand forward. "We have to keep going   
this way."  
  
"How can you be so sure?" Kerberos asked his mistress.  
  
"I just have a feeling, Kerberos-san," Sakura answered as she shifted sideways to avoid a laser shot   
from above. *A bad feeling.*  
  
Sakura and the others continued on their way. Fortunately for them, the ground troops they passed   
made no effort to pursue them. Unfortunately for them, the Arrows kept following them, trying to blast   
them out of the sky or at least force them closer to the waiting Cybers on the ground, who made their best   
effort to bring down their targets.  
  
As Ruby Moon concentrated on keeping the Arrows away from Sakura, Kerberos, and Spinel Sun,   
she noticed a few jet away from the others. She fired at them, but as a result, her back was turned to the   
main group of Arrows. One of them activated a beam blade on its arms and charged. The Moon Guardian's   
head bent back as she was impaled from behind. The Arrow withdrew its weapon and let gravity take its   
victim to the ground.  
  
"Ruby-san!" Sakura shouted as Ruby Moon crashed. "We have to help Ruby-san!"  
  
Kerberos turned around and flew to where Ruby Moon landed. More Arrows flew in to intercept   
the winged lion. "I think we have our own problems to deal with, Sakura," her observed as the Arrows   
activated their beam blades and charged.  
  
Some Cybers marched towards the fallen Moon Guardian ready to strike. Clenching her teeth and   
clutching her chest, she struggled to her feet and faced her enemies. Thankful she was a magical being,   
Ruby Moon took out a Num with an energy blast. Another Num swung its rocket launcher at her from   
behind, sending her into the arms of an Enter. Ruby Moon recovered and punched the Enter in its abdomen.   
She blasted the Num who blindsided her and sidestepped a charging Deleter. More Cybers formed a circle   
around her. Still not strong enough to fly, Ruby Moon fought on.  
  
Spinel Sun growled and readied himself to assist his fellow Guardian. His shots took out most of   
Ruby Moon's aggressors. Suddenly, an Altron shot out its arms at him and wrapped them around his torso.   
Feeling the Altron's grip getting stronger, Spinel fought to escape. While he did, another Altron wrapped its   
arms around the dark Sun Guardian and in unison with its comrade, started to pull him towards the ground.   
"I won't be that easy to take down!" Spinel Sun declared, entering a tug-of-war with the coneheaded Cybers   
and firing wildly at enemies on the ground. He managed to fry a few Deleters, Enters, and Backspaces.  
  
A Home marched up, bent down, and aimed its arm cannons at Spinel Sun. Two Nums raised their   
rocket launchers at the winged panther. A Controller eyed the target, then signaled with a wave of its hand.   
The Home and Nums fired and hit Spinel Sun. While he winced, the Altrons threw him to the ground.   
Sensing weakness, the Deleters rushed in to carve some kitty flesh. He stood up slowly and fired,   
destroying some but missing the majority.   
  
Sakura watched the action below helplessly as Kerberos dodged the Arrows' blades. Every shot he   
took missed. Soon he and Sakura were surrounded by Arrows. "Great," he growled.  
  
An Arrow charged and aimed its blade at Sakura. The Cardmistress swung the Star Wand and   
struck it in the face, sending it to the ground. Another Arrow charged from behind, and Sakura ducked in   
time to avoid being impaled by a beam blade. She clutched to Kerberos' fur as he dodged charging Arrow   
after charging Arrow. "Damn it!" the golden-eyed Sun Guardian cursed as he fired fireball after fireball at   
the swift enemy.  
  
The Arrows stopped charging and formed a sphere around Sakura and Kerberos. They pointed   
their beam blades at their targets, then flew at them.  
  
"We're gonna die!" Sakura cried, almost in tears.  
  
A powerful gust of wind from above countered that negative statement. The Arrows were sent   
flying to the ground and into the nearby buildings.  
  
Kerberos looked for the source and found it. A long-robed figure with angelic wings and long   
silvery hair hovered above them with his arms crossed. "'Bout time," Kerberos said with an annoyed look.  
  
"My false form was at work with his favorite person," the newcomer said simply.  
  
"Yue-san!" Sakura cried with relief.  
  
Yue bowed, then flew down to help Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. A few crystal blasts eliminated   
some of Ruby Moon's opponents, allowing her to take out the rest with ease. Yue blasted the Deleters   
attacking Spinel Sun, who exacted his revenge on the Cybers who brought him down.  
  
"Ah, Yue. Good to see you decided to join us," Ruby Moon said to her fellow Moon Guardian as   
her strength came back to her. "Still hanging around Touya-kun?"  
  
"That is my false form's significant other, not mine," Yue said sternly as his mistress and fellow   
Guardian flew to the ground.  
  
"Arigato, Yue-san!" Sakura thanked her Moon Guardian.  
  
"Do not be thankful yet, Mistress." Yue pointed towards a spot in the distance. More Cybers were   
coming, and the lighter ones were coming in fast.  
  
"We'd better take to the air," Spinel Sun suggested.  
  
Soon everyone was airborne and on their way. "Where is Eriol?" Yue asked.  
  
"These things took him," Ruby Moon answered as she destroyed two Homes.  
  
"And we have no idea where they took him," Spinel Sun added as he blasted an Enter and a Num.  
  
"Maybe he's at the place these Cybers are guarding," Sakura guessed.  
  
"He'd better be." Kerberos toasted a few Altrons and Shifters. "All I wanted to do today was play   
video games, but no! I have to fly through Tokyo and fight a bunch of moving scrap heaps!"  
  
"Well, you are playing a video game in a way, Kerberos-san," Sakura commented as she avoided a   
Cap's razor-sharp hat.  
  
Kerberos destroyed the offending Cap. "Yeah! This is even more fun!" he said with a grin. Next   
to him, Yue shook his head and grumbled a little.  
  
After flying through ground fire and taking out more Cybers, Sakura and the Guardians found   
themselves at Tokyo Tower. "Hoe?" she wondered.  
  
"Gee, what a big surprise," Kerberos said dryly.  
  
"It is, in a way." Yue looked around. "Notice what is missing."  
  
"Cybers," Spinel Sun answered, nodding in agreement. "There aren't any outside."  
  
"But there are people," Ruby Moon noticed, pointing to the observation deck. She flew in for a   
closer look and came back. "They're being guarded by those coneheaded Cybers."  
  
"We need to rescue those people before they get killed," Sakura said with the TV image of the   
bodies playing in her mind.  
  
"They're not the ones you should be worrying about, Cardmistress!" a malevolently lively voice   
declared out of nowhere.  
  
Everyone looked around, but the speaker was not in plain sight. "I know that voice," Kerberos said   
with a growl.  
  
Sakura clutched her Star Wand tightly. "Psycho."  
  
The clown's bizarre laughter echoed around them. "Gold star for little Sakura! Not bad for a   
cheerleader! By the way, nice outfit. Going for the Super Sakura look?"  
  
"Show yourself!" Yue shouted angrily, clenching his fists.  
  
"Show yourself, robot!" Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun joined in.  
  
"Okay, but only because you people asked so nicely." The clown appeared above them in his main   
form. He grinned at the sight of the Cardmistress and the four Guardians. "My, my, picking up the   
unemployed Guardians, kiddo? Hey, Bird Boy!" he said, spotting Yue. "You look good. Those feathers   
really look healthy. That Worm venom was probably a good thing after all."  
  
Kerberos and Spinel Sun growled. Yue and Ruby Moon glared at the Master Cyber. "Where's   
Eriol?" Ruby Moon demanded.  
  
"What have you done with Eriol-kun?" Sakura asked hotly.  
  
Psycho's grin got wider. "Oh, last time I checked, the User allowed him to live a little longer.   
Right now, as far as I'm concerned, Mr. I-Was-Clow-Read-In-A-Previous-Life is probably pushing up   
daisies."  
  
"No!" Sakura cried. "Not Eriol-kun!"  
  
"What are you doing in Tokyo?" Yue said, fighting the urge to fly up and attack.  
  
"Oh, the usual stuff vacationing Cybers do. Looking around, seeing the sights, blowing them up,"   
Psycho answered. "Oh, you know what I'm after. Just give me the Cards and Key and I might let you and   
the other humans live."  
  
"Never!" Sakura shouted defiantly. "I won't let you use my Cards and Key for evil!"  
  
"Playing hard to get, huh?" Psycho brought up a Window and got Formatter Altron on it. "Delete   
the hostages now!"  
  
"No!" Sakura cried.  
  
Formatter Altron gulped. "Um, I don't think that's a good idea, sir."  
  
"What?" Psycho exclaimed. "Tell me why we can't waste the little fleshbags!"  
  
"Because...because..." Formatter Altron fished for an answer. "Because if we kill the hostages   
now, the Cardmistress and the Guardians will attack the tower and disable our command center. I feel the   
humans are better suited for our purposes if they're still functioning."  
  
Everyone watched as Psycho roared in frustration and smashed the Window. "Apparently, there   
are a few bugs in the Cyber chain of command," Spinel Sun remarked as the falling shards disintegrated.  
  
"Get out of our way!" Kerberos snarled at the clown. "After we rescue those people, I'm gonna rip   
you apart, Laughing Boy."  
  
"Oooooo, I'm so scared," Psycho said mockingly, wiggling his fingers in the air. "If you want to   
get these people, you'll have to get past me and my friends."  
  
"I think we can handle those guards," Ruby Moon said confidently.  
  
"We'll defeat you and free those people," Sakura said with determination.  
  
Psycho giggled, then broke out into a fit of laughter. "What's so funny, clown?" Yue demanded.  
  
With a large grin, the evil clown looked at his enemies. "I wasn't referring to the Servers."  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura said, puzzled.  
  
Someone giggled next to Psycho. Everyone watched as Techno appeared next to the clown.   
"You!" Spinel Sun exclaimed.  
  
"Ah, good to see you again," Techno said, spotting Eriol's Guardians. His eyes laid on Sakura.   
"So, you're the Cardmistress. I can't believe you defeated Psycho."  
  
"Don't remind me," Psycho groaned, rolling his eyes.  
  
"Ha!" Kerberos scoffed. "We still outnumber you!"  
  
"Hmmmmmmmm...we should not underestimate them, Kerberos," Spinel Sun warned. "Techno   
was able to overpower both Ruby Moon and myself, and the same happened when you and Yue battled   
Psycho."  
  
"We have learned from our mistakes," Yue said, keeping his gaze fixed on the two Masters. "We   
can defeat these two."  
  
"Better make that three!" Cracker appeared behind Psycho and waved his fist at Sakura and the   
Guardians.  
  
"A-a-another one?" Sakura gasped.  
  
Cracker looked at Sakura. "You know, Psycho, I gotta agree with Techno. I can't believe this   
shrimp was able to damage you badly."  
  
"Humans are a fascinating species, Cracker." Hacker appeared next to Psycho with his arms   
crossed and his cape flapping in the breeze. "Despite their weak flesh, they are capable of amazing things.   
Do not underestimate them."  
  
"That's a joke, Hacker," Cracker countered. "Humans are weak. The User said so, and you know   
the User is supreme."  
  
Sakura's mouth hung out at the sight of the Masters. "F-f-four?"  
  
"Oooooo, the cherry blossom can count!" Psycho said, clapping his hands. "That's right, girlie.   
Four Masters, four Megas, and we know how you people performed last time."  
  
"We beat you once, and we can do it again!" Kerberos roared.  
  
Techno giggled. "You got lucky last time. This time, the Masters of the Cyber World will wipe   
you out!"  
  
*Masters of the Cyber World?* Sakura thought, keeping her eye on the four powerful Cybers   
hovering above.  
  
"Get ready," Spinel Sun told the other Guardians.  
  
"Sakura, stay behind us," Ruby Moon told the Cardmistress.  
  
"Leave these monstrosities to us, Mistress," Yue said, keeping his gaze on Psycho. The Guardians   
shielded Sakura with their bodies and readied themselves for a fight.  
  
Psycho smiled wickedly. "Let's get ready to rumble!"  



	8. Chapter 7: Four Masters of the Cyber Wo...

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 7: Four Masters of the Cyber World  
  
"Here they come," Kerberos said, his teeth clenching as the four Masters hovered towards him and   
the other Guardians.  
  
Yue did not wait. He spread his wings and flew straight for Psycho. The clown was momentarily   
stunned as the Moon Guardian rammed into him, sending them both back into the sky.  
  
"Looks like he's chosen his target," Ruby Moon remarked as the other Masters landed.  
  
"Damn. Looks like I have to pick from these three losers," Kerberos said with a grin as he looked   
at Techno, Cracker, and Hacker.  
  
Cracker eyed the remaining Guardians and Sakura. "Okay, who wants to get wasted first?" he   
taunted.  
  
Techno giggled as he pointed at each Guardian. "Eeiny, meeny, miney..." His finger stopped at   
Sakura. "Moe! Rocket Hammer!" he shouted, firing rapidly at the Cardmistress.  
  
Kerberos opened his wings and shielded Sakura from the missiles. Ruby Moon quickly flew towards Techno. "This is for last time!" she declared coldly before knocking the hunchback upside his head. Giggling, Techno launched more missiles at her. Ruby Moon was struck, and Techno leapt towards her with his hammer raised to strike. She recovered in time and fired a gust of wind at the hunchback, sending him towards the foot of the tower. "I'll make sure he stays down," she said as she took off after him.  
  
Cracker faced Kerberos and Spinel Sun. "Guess that makes you two mine." He transformed his   
right arm into a cannon arm, then pointed it at Sakura. "But then, why waste my shots on you two losers?   
Cannonbomb!" he shouted as he fired.  
  
Kerberos and Spinel Sun leapt into the projectile's path and combined their breath attacks to   
destroy it. The team effort also struck Cracker in the chest and into a nearby burnt-out tree. "Let's get   
him!" Kerberos cried as he led the charge.  
  
"Kerberos, wait!" Spinel Sun shouted as he followed his fellow Sun Guardian.  
  
Regaining his senses, Psycho grabbed Yue's hair and tossed him aside. Yue stopped himself from   
flying off and faced his opponent.  
  
"What did I tell you about a haircut, Silver Bell?" Psycho quipped.  
  
Yue glared at the evil clown. "I will not lose to you again."  
  
"Talk, talk, talk. Joy Buzzer!" Psycho charged his hands with electricity and charged Yue. Yue   
held out his hands and caught the clown's, resulting in a test of strength between the two.  
  
"Yue-san!" Sakura cried as she noticed her Moon Guardian struggling against the Master Cyber.  
  
"You have your own problems to worry about, Cardmistress."  
  
Sakura averted her gaze to the speaker. Hacker stood before her. The sight of this lone Master   
puzzled her. "Why aren't you fighting anyone?"  
  
"I am facing my opponent right now," Hacker replied. "To be honest, Cardmistress, I felt a one-  
on-one duel would have been sufficient to fulfill the User's command. Instead, I find myself an unwilling   
participant in an unnecessary slaughter." He studied his surroundings. "Such actions are dishonorable to a   
true warrior."  
  
"You're not taking my Cards and Key!" Sakura shouted defiantly.  
  
"Ah, such spirit," Hacker complimented. "However, I prefer action to words." He reached for his   
beam saber and activated it. "Miss Kinomoto, I propose that this matter be settled in a warrior's duel. If   
you defeat me, you will keep your magical objects until the User tries to get them again. If I defeat you, you   
forfeit them. Agreed?"  
  
Sakura eyed the swordsman closely. *He seems different from the others.* With a nod, she pulled   
out the appropriate Sakura Card for the situation. "Sakura Card, grant me your power and channel it into   
my Key! Sword!" Striking the Card, Sakura transformed her Star Wand into a sword and took a battle   
stance. "I accept your challenge!"  
  
Hacker nodded, then held his weapon forward. "Prove yourself worthy of being Clow Read's heir,   
Cardmistress!" With that, he rushed at Sakura and swung his weapon down.  
  
Sakura knocked the attack aside in time. Her opponent fell back and considered his next move.   
Sakura studied Hacker carefully. *The last time I battled a Cyber like him, he nearly killed me. Why am I   
doing this?* Then the dead people reentered her mind. *I won't let them kill anyone else because of me! I   
won't!*  
  
With a yell, Sakura charged Hacker. Seeing his opponent fired up, Hacker ran up to her. With the   
clashing of their blades, the duel resumed.  
  
* * * * *  
  
In Syaoran's living room, Maya watched the tape come to its end. "Interesting," she said with her   
hand cupping her chin. "Sakura is indeed the most powerful magician in this known reality."  
  
"Yeah, but that Kerberos wasn't so bad," Lupe commented from her mistress' lap.  
  
"For once, I gotta agree with you, Wolfie," O.G. said from Brandon's shoulder, throwing   
occasional punches in the air with one hand and holding a bitten biscuit in another. "He kicked Cyber butt."  
  
"Too bad the clown kicked his," Brandon said dryly.  
  
"Actually, I wasn't referring to Kerberos' actions in battle," Lupe said nervously.  
  
Maya smiled at her Guardian as she noticed the crimson blush on the small wolf's face. "Lupe..."  
  
Pegasus Uni flew near Lupe and looked at her face. "Oh my..."  
  
Ready giggled. "Looks like someone's got a crush," she teased.  
  
"Tell me about it," O.G. said, finishing the biscuit and looking at Brandon. "Let me tell you   
something about the boss here."  
  
Brandon's eyes widened. Everyone watched as he grabbed O.G. and covered his mouth with his   
hand. The Guardian struggled to break free while resisting the urge to bite his master.  
  
"Uh, are you okay?" Meiling asked.  
  
"Of course! What makes you think otherwise?" Brandon said, laughing nervously as he stuffed   
O.G.'s head between the cushions of the sofa.  
  
From the opposite side of the room, Syaoran glared at the young Shadowwalker. "I'm amazed you   
were able to become a Shadowwalker. You're perhaps the most incompetent assassin I've ever seen."  
  
Brandon rose from his seat and glared back at Syaoran. "Hey, my instructor said I was the best in   
his class!"  
  
"Well, if you're such an adept Shadowwalker, then why did you let your only target live?" Syaoran   
asked, his glance shifting to Ready.  
  
Brandon felt his face heat up. "Um, well..."  
  
"Because he realized he wasn't meant to be an assassin." Ready got up and stood next to Brandon.   
She placed her hand on his shoulder and was unaware of how she was making him more uncomfortable.   
"He tried to kill me on several occasions, but he didn't. He felt remorse for what he was about to do, plus he   
got to know me. That meant he was still a good person."  
  
"Uh, yeah," Brandon stammered. "I'm one of the good guys now."  
  
"A Shadowwalker with a heart? There's a physical impossibility," Syaoran said angrily, his hand   
clenched into a fist. "Tell me, assassin, did your fellow Shadowwalkers feel any remorse when they killed...?"  
  
"That's enough, Syaoran!" Yelan ordered her son. "That was in the past. Let us leave it there."  
  
"But, Mother..."  
  
"The subject is closed," Yelan said, folding her arms and looking down at her son, who fell silent under his mother's burning gaze.  
  
"We have more important matters at hand," Maya said factually. "Namely, heading to Tomoeda   
and getting to Sakura before these Cybers do."  
  
Syaoran shot Brandon one more glare, then returned to the business at hand. "You are right. For   
Sakura's sake, we must leave at once."  
  
"And once you have completed your task, you will return home," Yelan said firmly.  
  
Syaoran looked into his mother's eyes. "I cannot, Mother," he said. In the background, his sisters   
gasped.  
  
O.G. pulled himself out of the sofa cushions. "What'd I miss?" he asked Pegasus Uni.  
  
"Actually, I think we're about to watch some fireworks," she answered, watching the upcoming   
verbal battle between mother and son.  
  
"Remember your obligations to your clan," Yelan reminded her son. "Perhaps someday you can be   
with your beloved, but for now, you must fulfill your obligations."  
  
"Mother, you've seen the battle on the tape. She nearly died!" Syaoran said.  
  
"But she did not. Her power makes her the most powerful magician in the world." Yelan looked   
at Ready. "I mean no offense, Miss Brighton."  
  
"None taken," Ready said with her characteristic smile. "She is Clow Read's heir, after all."  
  
Yelan returned to her son. "She can take care of herself. You should not worry, Syaoran."  
  
"But I still do, Mother," Syaoran said. "She survived this last battle, but what about the next? Our   
guests told us of another Cyber like the one in the video. Add them to the two Meiling anf I fought at the   
school. What if they attacked Sakura together? Yue and the stuffed animal couldn't defeat Psycho, so how   
could they protect Sakura from four of them?"  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
"Mother, I've made up my mind," Syaoran said, sticking to his position. "I'm coming with Ready   
and her friends to Japan, and I'm staying there for good."  
  
"Syaoran..."  
  
"Mother, this is my final word on the matter. I will not change my mind."  
  
"He's got it bad," Brandon whispered to Ready.  
  
"Look who's talking," O.G. remarked, getting a slap on the head from his master.  
  
The two Li's, mother and son, stared at each other. The sisters watched this with silent uneasiness.   
Ready and the others watched everything and fought the urge to interject themselves into the dispute. After   
all, it was a family matter.  
  
Finally, Yelan spoke. "You always were determined to have your way, Syaoran," she said with a   
sigh. "Just like your father."  
  
Syaoran nodded. "I won't let Sakura get hurt."  
  
"And you won't." Yelan turned to Wei. "Prepare my son's belongings. He will be leaving for   
Japan shortly."  
  
"As you wish," Wei said with a bow before leaving the room.  
  
Syaoran stared at Yelan with surprise, as did his sisters and Meiling. "Mother?" he asked, puzzled.  
  
"I see that I cannot dissuade you from your course," Yelan said. "I always felt you and Sakura   
were destined to be together, but I always thought you would claim her as your wife after you fulfilled your   
clan obligations." She seemed sad despite the lack of emotion in her face. "But then, this is a grave time.   
Someone is harnessing a magic that shouldn't exist."  
  
"A magic that shouldn't exist?" Maya asked.  
  
Yelan nodded. "Did you feel something strange when you fought these Cybers?" she asked.  
  
"You know, they did feel kinda weird," Brandon recalled. "They had this strange aura that wasn't   
like anything I've ever felt before."  
  
"I had the same feeling," Ready added. "I can't put my finger on it."  
  
"I have," Syaoran admitted. "Or at least something familiar."  
  
"Something familiar?" Maya asked.  
  
Syaoran nodded. "Yes, but this feeling was stronger."  
  
"Looks like we will all be going, then," Umbriel said, stepping out of the corner where he had been   
standing silently ever since Yelan invited everyone in.  
  
"Are you ready?" Ready asked her Guardian.  
  
"I am," the Darkling answered.  
  
Syaoran stared at the pale, thin creature with elven ears. "You mean we'll be teleported by him?"  
  
"That is correct," Umbriel answered.  
  
Syaoran glared at Umbriel. "It's bad enough that I have to travel with a Shadowwalker, but a   
Darkling?" As Brandon snarled, Syaoran shook his head with an amused smile. "It's true, Sakura. I'll do   
anything for you."  
  
"Then let's go help her!" Ready declared. Pegasus Uni flew next to her mistress. Lupe leapt onto   
Maya's shoulder. Brandon picked up O.G.  
  
"Wait a sec!" All eyes were on Meiling. "You're not going without me."  
  
"What can you do?" Yelan asked her niece. "You lack magical powers."  
  
"Meiling held her own against the Cyber she fought," Syaoran said.  
  
"Besides, someone needs to teach Kinomoto how to fight," Meiling said, smiling.  
  
Yelan shook her head. "I seem to be outnumbered today," she said as she looked at the group of   
young magicians before her. "You will watch our for my son and niece, Miss Brighton?"  
  
"I will, Mrs. Li," Ready said.  
  
"We'd better get there fast," Maya recommended.  
  
"Wait!" Meiling left the room, then came back with her battle costume. "Good thing I left this   
here."  
  
"If we're ready to go..." Brandon said, a little annoyed.  
  
The young magicians and Meiling gathered around Umbriel. "Where shall we go?" the Darkling   
asked Syaoran.  
  
"We should go to Sakura's house," Syaoran answered.  
  
"I hope nothing has happened," Ready said.  
  
"Somehow, I doubt that," Brandon commented.  
  
Umbriel focused on Syaoran's thoughts and began the teleport. Yelan watched as her son, niece,   
and the other magicians and their Guardians vanished in a flash of blue. *Take care, my son.*  
  
* * * * *  
  
In the air, Yue continued to struggle against the evil Psycho. He stared into his enemy's face and   
ignored the slight burning the electrified claws were causing.  
  
"Give up, Winged Wonder!" Psycho taunted. "You can't beat me! I'm far superior to you!"  
  
Yue glared silently, then broke his grip on Psycho, causing the clown to waver in the air. Yue took   
advantage and fired a wind blast. Psycho flew out of the way and blasted him with a Joy Buzzer. The Moon Guardian countered with another wind blast, sending the clown to the ground. A small smile of satisfaction crossed Yue's lips as Psycho plummeted to the ground.  
  
Ruby Moon closed in on the fallen Techno. Upon seeing her, the hunchback picked himself up. "I'm going to clip your wings, butterfly!" he snarled, readying his hammer for another attack. "Rocket..."  
  
Thanks to a falling Psycho, Techno never got to fire. The clown landed on top of   
him, sending both Masters to the ground hard.  
  
"You were saying?" Ruby Moon said haughtily, her hands on her hips as she stared at her two   
fallen enemies.  
  
"This!" Psycho rose from the ground. "Psycho Trick!" A ribbon shot out from his hand and   
wrapped itself around Ruby Moon's neck. As she struggled to break free, Psycho threw her at Yue.   
"Catch!"  
  
Yue caught Ruby Moon. "Thanks," she said gratefully.  
  
Yue nodded, then saw Psycho fly up to them. He and Ruby Moon readied themselves for another   
attack.  
  
Psycho studied the two Moon Guardians. "A handicap match, huh?" He grinned. "Only   
question is, are you a mixed tag team or not?"  
  
Ruby Moon growled. "I may not be human, but I like being female."  
  
Psycho gestured her to come at him. "Bring it on, Madame Butterfly!" He pointed an electrically-charged finger at her. "Joy Buzzer!"  
  
Eriol's Moon Guardian was struck by the attack. Recovering, Ruby Moon came at him and fired a crystal blast, which was canceled by another Joy Buzzer. She weaved her way through a barrage of Joy Buzzers and closed in on her target.  
  
"Psycho Trick!" Psycho shouted, laughing as he waved his hand, making a large number of   
spiked tops appear before him. "Hey, remember this number?" he asked Yue.  
  
"Watch out!" Yue warned his fellow Guardian.  
  
The warning came too late for Ruby Moon, who ran into some of the deadly tops and was thrown back by the explosion. Laughing insanely, Psycho waved his hand and send the rest after her. Yue fired a powerful wind at the deadly tops, causing them to collide with each other and explode. "Thanks," she told Yue.  
  
That gave Psycho the opportunity to appear before her and grab her throat. "Now say   
'AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!'" he said as he increased the pressure. Ruby Moon gagged and struggled to   
break free.  
  
Yue flew around and tackled Psycho from behind, forcing the Master to release his captive. Ruby   
Moon recovered and fired at Psycho, knocking him away. "Psycho Bomb!" he cried after regaining control, throwing an energy ball at her. She dodged the attack, which struck one side of the tower. The people screamed as the structure shook.  
  
"The people!" Ruby Moon realized.  
  
"We must lure him away from here," Yue suggested. Ruby Moon nodded and joined him in flying   
away from Tokyo Tower.  
  
"Ooooo, a chase." Grinning wickedly, Psycho pursued the two Guardians.  
  
Seeing that his previous opponent was busy, Techno spotted Kerberos and Spinel Sun battling   
Cracker. Giggling, Techno got up and ran off to join him.  
  
"Hold still!" Cracker growled as he launched Cannonbomb after Cannonbomb at the airborne   
Guardians.  
  
Kerberos replied with a breath of fire, which Cracker dodged. "It's good to have wings," he remarked proudly.  
  
"Time to clip your wings, then!" From out of nowhere, Techno appeared above the golden-eyed   
Sun Guardian and fell at him with his hammer raised. "Power Pound!" he cried, and his weapon started to   
glow.  
  
Kerberos was too slow to react, and the hammer struck him hard. The resulting explosion threw   
the winged lion to the ground.  
  
"Kerberos!" Spinel Sun cried with concern, blasting Techno away.  
  
"Graviton Blaster!" Cracker fired at Spinel Sun and engulfed him in dark energy.  
  
"What the...?" The winged panther felt his body become heavier. The sudden weight caused him   
to crash next to Kerberos.  
  
Techno landed next to Cracker, and the two Masters marched up to their targets. "Not so tough   
now, are you?" Techno taunted.  
  
The two Sun Guardians winced and struggled to get up. "I'm...gonna...rip...you...a...new..."   
Kerberos strained to say.  
  
"Oh, I'd like to see you try." Giggling madly, Techno raised his glowing hammer and smashed the   
ground, sending an energy wave at his enemies. It made contact, throwing Kerberos and Spinel Sun a few   
meters back.  
  
Sakura and Hacker continued to clash blades. Knocking aside a swing, the Cardmistress saw the   
two Sun Guardians down. "Kerberos-san! Spinel-san!"  
  
"Concentrate on your present dilemma, Cardmistress!" Hacker shouted, swinging his beam saber at   
her head.  
  
Sakura jumped back and took out the Shield Card. "Shield!" she cried, striking the Card and   
enclosing herself in an energy barrier.  
  
Hacker rushed up to the barrier and slashed at it with no effect. Sakura blinked at the sight of the   
intact protective bubble. After backing off and studying this latest move, he made his own. "Data Slash!"  
  
An energy wave struck the shield. When the resulting flash faded, both Hacker and Sakura were   
surprised at it still standing. Hacker sent Data Slash after Data Slash, but the shield remained undamaged.  
  
"Hmmmmm, your magic is strong, Miss Kinomoto." Hacker reached for his other beam saber and   
activated it. "It is time for me to use one of my stronger moves." Both blades glowed.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura wondered.  
  
"System Crash!" Hacker swung both beam sabers and sent a large energy wave at Sakura. Energy   
struck energy, and the shield started to crack. Finally, it exploded, causing Sakura to fall back.  
  
The Cardmistress landed on her bottom. Although the battle costume's extra padding dulled the   
pain, she still felt it. "Itai!" she exclaimed.  
  
Hacker watched as Sakura picked herself up. "Give up?" he asked.  
  
Sakura pointed her sword at the Master Cyber. "I possess the invincible spell," she told her   
opponent as she steadied herself.  
  
"A worthy adversary," Hacker said, nodding.  
  
The Cyber swordsman rushed at the Cardmistress. Sakura met his charge, and the two traded   
blows. Sakura held on despite being attacked by two blades. Hacker could not help but admire the way his   
opponent blocked his attacks and counterattacked.  



	9. Chapter 8: Return of the Little Wolf

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 8: Return of the Little Wolf  
  
Techno giggled as he and Cracker walked up to Kerberos and Spinel Sun. "Time to put the kitty cats to sleep."  
  
"Yeah." Cracker aimed his cannon arm at the two Sun Guardians.  
  
Kerberos rose up quickly. "I don't think so!" he shouted defiantly as he stomped his paw on the ground. A shockwave traveled up to the two Masters and caused them to struggle to stand up. The golden-eyed lion blasted them with a fire wave which pushed them back. Feeling the effects of the Graviton Blaster wearing off, Spinel Sun made it to his feet and fired a blast of his own. Overwhelmed, the two Masters crashed to the ground.  
  
"Not bad for a couple of kitty cats, huh?" Kerberos said with a grin.  
  
Returning his arm to normal, Cracker got up and lunged at Kerberos. "Dynamite Punch!" he   
shouted, his fist glowing brightly.  
  
Kerberos took to the air, and Cracker smashed his fist into the empty spot. Spinel Sun flew at Techno with a roar.  
  
"Take this, Purple Panther! Mad Bomber!" A bomb with limbs and a question mark appeared in Techno's hand. With a grunt, the hunchback hurled it at Spinel Sun.  
  
"Nani?" the butterfly-winged Guardian exclaimed seconds before the bomb exploded. He fell to the ground with a thump.  
  
"Spinel!" Kerberos shouted.  
  
Eriol's Sun Guardian laid on the ground with his blank eyes and a rolled-out tongue. "Da, ba, ga, wa, ta..."  
  
"Huh?" Kerberos said, puzzled.  
  
Techno giggled loudly. "Thanks to my Logic Bomb, your friend's an eggplant now!"  
  
Kerberos growled and started to fly towards Techno. To his surprise, he snapped back. Turning around, he found Cracker holding him by his tail.  
  
"Shouldn't have forgotten me." Cracker yanked Kerberos towards him and gave him a Dynamite Punch in the face. "Happy landing!" he cried out as the winged lion fell and landed next to Spinel Sun.  
  
Growling, Kerberos looked into his fellow Sun Guardian's eyes. "Spinel, snap out of it! I need a little help!"  
  
"Ba?" Spinel Sun answered.  
  
"Your turn, Goldie." Techno produced another Logic Bomb. "I wonder who'll be dumb and who'll be dumber."  
  
Meanwhile, Yue and Ruby Moon hovered in an area they felt was a safe distance from Tokyo   
Tower. "Here we are," Yue said. "No sign of any Cybers."  
  
"True, but where's the clown?" Ruby Moon asked, looking around.  
  
Their answer came from above. "Special delivery! Psycho Trick!"  
  
Yue and Ruby Moon looked up. Suddenly, two Worms fell out of the sky and wrapped themselves around the two Moon Guardians. They struggled to break free, but the cobra-like Cybers kept their grip.  
  
Psycho appeared before his enemies. "And now, a blast from the past for the Avenging Angel!" he declared, laughing as Yue and Ruby Moon struggled unsuccessfully.  
  
Ruby Moon grunted. Yue glared silently at the evil clown.  
  
"Oh, did I mention their venom's more potent? That only one bite can sent you into nonexistence?" Psycho said cheerfully. "No? Oh, well. Time for my babies to have a little bite." The Worms bend their heads back and opened their mouths, revealing their long fangs. "Don't worry, kiddies. It's not very painful. After all, I won't feel a thing."  
  
Yue and Ruby Moon snarled as the Worms prepared to strike. As they kept trying to escape, Psycho broke out into an insane fit of laughter.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Tomoyo hummed as she brought the cake out of the oven. She sniffed and took in the aroma of chocolate. She was sure Sakura would not mind her using some of her cake mix. *Sakura-chan and Kero-chan will love this,* she thought happily, picturing them coming in after their victory over the Cybers.  
  
Placing the cake on the table, Tomoyo admired it until she saw a flash of light coming from the living room. "Hm?" she wondered.  
  
"Get off of me!" a boy cried out.  
  
Tomoyo blinked. "Li-kun?"  
  
"Only if you get your elbow out of my back!" another boy called out.  
  
"I apologize, Mistress."  
  
"No problem, Umbriel. We're still alive."  
  
"Does this always happen?"  
  
Tomoyo blinked again. "Meiling-chan?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Curious, Tomoyo entered the living room and found Syaoran, Meiling, and the others in a dogpile. "Li-kun? Meiling-chan?" Tomoyo addressed her friends, surprised as everyone picked themselves up. *Why are they in their battle costumes?* Her eyes wandered to the strangers. *Three kids. Just like Sakura-chan said. Could they be here to help her?*  
  
"Hello, Daidouji-san," Meiling greeted with a wave as Ready and Maya joined her at her side.  
  
"Hello," Tomoyo replied, eyeing the two newcomers standing next to the Li girl. "I believe we haven't been properly introduced. I'm Daidouji Tomoyo," she said, placing her hand on her chest for emphasis.  
  
"Brighton Regina," Ready answered in Japanese, remembering the Japanese placement of given name and surname. "You can call me Ready."  
  
"Torres Maya," Maya said. "Just call me Maya."  
  
"This is Umbriel, my main Guardian," Ready said, gesturing to the pale, thin figure behind her.  
  
"Nice to meet you, Daidouji-san." Umbriel bowed slightly, and Tomoyo returned the gesture.  
  
Umbriel looked down at Syaoran and Brandon, whose fallen forms formed a cross. Lying facedown, the Chinese magician was trying to get up, but the young Shadowwalker was lying on his back facing upward. "Get off of me! I can't stand any more physical contact with you!" Syaoran shouted angrily as he tried to lift himself, digging his elbows into Brandon's back.  
  
"And the guy on top of Syaoran is Darque Brandon," Ready explained, pointing to her friend.  
  
"Well, sorry, Your Royal Vegetable, but I'm getting a sharp pain in my back, so could you be good enough to remove your elbows from it?" Brandon shot back.  
  
As the two young magicians continud to argue, Umbriel shook his head and looked at Ready, who nodded wearily. The Darkling pulled Brandon off Syaoran and helped the young Li to his feet.  
  
"Much better," Syaoran said, glaring at Brandon.  
  
"Very," Brandon said, returning the glare.  
  
Taking to the air, Pegasus Uni rolled her eyes. "Oy vey."  
  
"I'm glad we didn't decide to take a plane," Lupe said gladly. "I think someone would've thrown them off in mid-flight just to stop the arguing."  
  
O.G. sniffed the air. "Hey..." He sniffed harder. "Wait, that's chocolate cake! Just came out of the oven, I believe," he deduced, grinning.  
  
Tomoyo found herself staring at three tiny creatures that resembled plush toys. *Oh, my. They look like Kero-chan.*  
  
"These are our Guardians, Daidouji-san," Ready explained, noticing Tomoyo's look of amazement. "The white unicorn with wings is Pegasus Uni, and she's mine. The gray wolf is Lupe, and she's Maya's. The bear with the spiked shell is..."  
  
"Cake!" O.G. cried out, breaking into a run towards the kitchen.  
  
"Oh, no," Lupe groaned as she pursued O.G.  
  
"After him!" Pegasus Uni shouted, taking off after the hungry bear.  
  
Ready closed her eyes and sweatdropped. "That was O.G."  
  
"He belongs to me," Brandon acknowledged.  
  
"O.G.! Don't!" Pegasus Uni pleaded from the kitchen.  
  
"Cake! I must have cake!" the Shadowwalker's Guardian declared.  
  
Everyone went to the kitchen and found O.G. trying to get his paws on Tomoyo's cake. Lupe was biting on his leg and holding him back while Pegasus Uni held him from the air.  
  
"Cake!" O.G. shouted excitedly.  
  
"You already ate at the Li's house," Pegasus Uni told her fellow Guardian as she pulled harder.  
  
"Those little biscuits? Those weren't exactly filling," O.G. said, stretching forward and reaching for the cake.  
  
"You never get filled, you bottomless pit!" Lupe said through a mouthful of leg fur.  
  
"This is your Guardian?" Meiling said to Brandon with dot eyes and a sweatdrop on her forehead as she pointed at O.G.  
  
"Well..." Brandon said, laughing nervously.  
  
"An appropriate match considering he's as incompetent as his master," Syaoran said.  
  
"Hey!" Brandon said, his gaze shooting daggers at Syaoran's.  
  
"Interesting," Tomoyo said, cupping her chin as the two Guardians pulled O.G. away from the cake slowly. "He acts like Kero-chan."  
  
"Kero-chan? You mean Kerberos, right?" Brandon asked. "How do you know about him?"  
  
"Kerberos? Who said Kerberos?" Lupe asked, almost releasing her hold on O.G.'s legs.  
  
"Keep your grip on him!" Pegasus Uni told her fellow Guardian.  
  
"Cake!" O.G. cried, still reaching for the cake.  
  
"Brandon, don't you remember Eriol's stories?" Ready said.  
  
"Tomoyo is Sakura's best friend," Maya reminded the young Shadowwalker. "She knows about   
everything."  
  
"Oh, right," Brandon said, snapping his fingers. "The costume designer, camera freak, and voyeur."  
  
Ready stomped on Brandon's foot, and his face strained to hold in the upcoming scream of pain. "Be polite," she told him sweetly.  
  
"Is he always like this?" Meiling whispered to Maya.  
  
"Unfortunately," Maya replied, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Excuse me for a moment," Brandon managed to say. He hopped quickly to the door and went   
outside. A few seconds later, everyone was treated to a "YEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWWW!"  
  
The shout from his master distracted O.G. from Tomoyo's cake. Pegasus Uni took the opportunity to lift the bear off the table. "Cake!" he yelled, still reaching for the now out-of-reach cake.  
  
"Oh, put a sock in it," Lupe muttered, still hanging on to O.G.'s leg with her teeth.  
  
Brandon reentered the house. "Feeling better?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Much," Brandon replied with a smile. Pegasus Uni flew over to him and dropped O.G. into his waiting hands. Lupe let go of O.G.'s leg and landed on the floor feet first.  
  
"Hmph. More proof that you're a terrible magician," Syaoran remarked. "If you were your   
instructor's best, then I'd hate to see how everyone else fared."  
  
Brandon's ears shot out steam as he glared at Syaoran. "You know, how'd you like me to test if my foot's better by me kicking it all the way up your sorry..."  
  
"Ah, excuse me," Maya interjected, pointing upward, "but where's Sakura?"  
  
Syaoran took his eyes off the angry Shadowwalker and recalled why he was back in Tomoeda. "Daidouji-san, where is Sakura? She's in danger!"  
  
"If you mean the Cybers, Sakura-chan's taking care of them," Tomoyo answered.  
  
"What?" Syaoran's eyes widened.  
  
"The Cybers are here?" Ready asked.  
  
"They're attacking Tokyo," Tomoyo answered. "Sakura-chan went there to stop them. I would've come, but she was worried I would get hurt, so she used the Sleep Card on me."  
  
"That explains everything," Meiling said, who was wondering why Tomoyo was not at her best friend's side filming the battle.  
  
"But I'm not upset," Tomoyo said, smiling. "She whispered into my ear that she was sorry. When I woke up, I decided to make a victory cake for her."  
  
"Daidouji-san, if we don't get to Tokyo, Sakura won't be coming back," Syaoran said solemnly.  
  
"She isn't alone, Li-kun. Kerberos-san went with her. So did Ruby-san and Spinel-san," Tomoyo mentioned.  
  
"Not a big surprise," Ready said. "Ruby and Spinel were coming here to warn Sakura and find Eriol."  
  
"Like they'll be a big help," Brandon remarked dryly. "The boss robots can take on Guardians pretty well."  
  
"We'd better get to Tokyo now," Maya urged.  
  
"Yes, we must," Tomoyo agreed, looking at each of the newcomers. "Although Sakura-chan heard you in her dream, I'm still puzzled on how you can help her."  
  
"Ah, her ability to see the future in her dreams," Maya commented. "Eriol mentioned that as well."  
  
"We'll explain everything to you after we get back," Ready said to Tomoyo.  
  
"I'm coming with you. I must be prepared to film Sakura-chan in all her glory!" Tomoyo grabbed her camcorder and her camera bag.  
  
"Are you sure you want to come?" Brandon asked Sakura's self-appointed camerawoman. "After all, we're going to be attacked by killer robots."  
  
"Someone must capture Sakura-chan's bravery and cuteness on film," Tomoyo told him.  
  
"We'll be heading into a possible war zone," Ready pointed out to Sakura's best friend. "You could get hurt."  
  
"I never get hurt when I'm with Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said cheerfully.  
  
"Hello! Robots will be shooting at us!" Brandon remarked, trying to get the idea of life-threatening danger into Tomoyo's head.  
  
"It'll make excellent footage," Tomoyo answered, smiling. "Of course, filming Sakura-chan defeating the Cybers will be the highlight of this video."  
  
"Somehow I don't think we're going to dissuade her," Maya observed. "Am I correct, Meiling?"  
  
Meiling shook her head. "You'd have to tie her up to keep her from leaving this house," she said half-jokingly.  
  
"There's an idea," Brandon said. "Where's the rope?"  
  
"Brandon!" Ready punched her friend in the arm, then looked at Tomoyo. "I guess you still want to come along no matter what, right?"  
  
"Hai," Tomoyo answered.  
  
"Unless we have some chloroform around here," Brandon said. "Either that or I can..."  
  
"Try any of your Shadowwalker tricks on Daidouji-san and I'll run you through with my sword, assassin," Syaoran threatened.  
  
Brandon gave Syaoran a dirty look. "One word for you, Greenbean: decaf. Oh, wait, two more: Fashion sense."  
  
It took Meiling gripping Syaoran's shoulders to keep him from attacking the young Shadowwalker. As Syaoran snarled at Brandon and vice versa, Maya talked to her best friend. "Ready, if you recall, I accompanied you on your adventures before I got my ring."  
  
"You had all those cool gadgets, Maya," Brandon pointed out before returning to glaring at Syaoran.  
  
"True, but no magic at that time." Maya gestured towards Tomoyo. "She's been with Sakura on most of her adventures, and she's still alive. We have four Guardians, and our abilities are good if not at par with Sakura's. I'm sure we can keep Tomoyo out of harm's way."  
  
Ready considered this, then looked at Tomoyo. "Looks like you're coming along, Tomoyo," she informed her with a smile. "We'll keep you out of harm's way as best as we can."  
  
"I'll be okay when I'm with Sakura-chan. I hope we'll be in time to see her defeat the Cybers and save Tokyo. After all, nothing is cuter than Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo declared excitedly.  
  
"I'm getting the feeling there's more to this heroine worship," Brandon whispered to O.G.  
  
"Same here, boss," O.G. whispered back.  
  
Ready picked up bits of Brandon and O.G.'s conversation. "What are you two talking about?"  
  
"Nothing," they both replied.  
  
Syaoran's gaze fell on Umbriel. "Well? What are you waiting for? Take us to where Sakura is!"  
  
Umbriel shook his head. "I cannot."  
  
"What?" Syaoran exclaimed angrily. "Sakura's facing certain death and you can't teleport us to Tokyo to save her?"  
  
"I must refrain from teleporting without the proper amount of energy," Umbriel explained. "If I try it, we would be taken to another place, including another country."  
  
"For your information, Greenbean, that's a bad thing," Brandon said.  
  
Syaoran clenched his teeth and his fists. "I'll run all the way to Tokyo if I have to. I won't let Sakura die!"  
  
"Syaoran, please calm down," Meiling told her cousin. "Shouting won't bring you to Kinomoto-san any faster."  
  
"He's really got it bad," Brandon whispered to O.G.  
  
"Again, look who's talkin', boss," O.G. whispered back.  
  
"Now what are you two whispering about?" Ready asked, eyeing them suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing," they answered quickly.  
  
"Calm yourself, Syaoran," Maya said soothingly. "We still have transportation," she mentioned, gesturing towards the three animal Guardians.  
  
"Yeah, we can take you there," Lupe said confidently.  
  
"Leave it to us," Pegasus Uni added, waving her hoof. "We can take all of you to Tokyo."  
  
"That's right," Meiling said, remembering O.G. in his real form.  
  
"Then let's go! Sakura needs us!" Syaoran rushed out the door.  
  
"Come on!" Pegasus Uni and Lupe followed him. O.G. leapt out of his master's hands and   
followed his fellow Guardians before the door closed.  
  
Brandon opened the door for Ready. "Why, thank you, Mr. Darque," she said.  
  
"Er, anytime, Miss Brighton," Brandon said with redness on his face as he followed her out.  
  
*Hmmmmmmm...* Tomoyo's mouth formed a small smile.  
  
"You noticed too?" Meiling asked her.  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "Have you, Maya-chan?"  
  
"Ever since he stopped trying to kill her," Maya replied, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Kill her?" Tomoyo wondered.  
  
"Long story," Maya said, grinning.  
  
"You can tell it to me sometime," Tomoyo said.  
  
"Me too," Meiling added.  
  
"Let's go," Umbriel said to the three girls.  
  
They joined everyone else outside. Fortunately for the Guardians, the street was empty. "Are you guys ready?" Brandon asked the three small animals.  
  
"You bet!" they cried excitedly.  
  
"Then do it!" Ready said encouragingly.  
  
"Right!" they answered.  
  
Tomoyo started recording when the three Guardians began to glow. "How interesting," she   
commented as they changed form.  



	10. Chapter 9: Full Power Unleashed

The Enemy Revealed   
Chapter 9: Full Power Unleashed   
  
"Say bye-bye to your brain," Techno declared, giggling as he prepared to toss the Logic Bomb at Kerberos.   
  
Kerberos growled. "I don't think so, Giggles." He roared and unleashed a fire blast that struck the Logic Bomb. The resulting explosion threw the hunchback to the ground.   
  
Kerberos turned to his fellow Sun Guardian. "Spinel, snap out of it!" Spinel Sun shook his head rapidly. After he was done, his eyes were back to normal. "I say, what happened?"   
  
Giggling loudly, Techno got up. "Vile Poison!" he shouted, firing dark energy from his fist.   
  
The Vile Poison struck both Sun Guardians. "Huh?" Kerberos said as his limbs gave in.   
  
"Losing...strength..." Spinel Sun muttered as he slumped to the ground.   
  
"But of course! Why do you think it's called Vile Poison?" Techno told the Guardians, giggling insanely.   
  
"Can't...move..." Kerberos managed to say, trying unsuccessfully to move his legs.   
  
"My turn." Cracker reactivated his cannon arm and aimed for the Sun Guardians. "Devastator Cannon!" he bellowed, blasting the Guardians with a powerful energy beam. The resulting explosion threw them back, and they crashed to the ground.   
  
"Kero-chan! Spinel-san!" Sakura cried upon spotting the Guardians in trouble. She barely avoided a swing from Hacker and made her own attack.   
  
"Concentrate on your own battle, Cardmistress!" Hacker shouted, dodging Sakura's swing and missing again.   
  
The two Masters marched up to their targets. Techno eyed the fallen Guardians. "Well, that was too easy," he commented with a giggle.   
  
"Yeah," Cracker agreed.   
  
Kerberos and Spinel Sun moaned. Techno and Cracker watched as they struggled to their feet. Kerberos raised his head and managed a small grin. "Gee, was that your best shot?" he taunted.   
  
"Not really." Cracker aimed his cannon arm at the two Sun Guardians. "Let's see what happens when I blast you at close range," he sneered, charging his weapon.   
  
"Did you really have to say something?" Spinel Sun grumbled, noting the large ball of energy forming on the end of Cracker's cannon arm.   
  
"Relax," Kerberos whispered confidently, keeping his gaze on his enemies, especially Cracker. "He's taking too long, don't you think?"   
  
"Hmmmmmm..." Spinel Sun nodded.   
  
With a yell, Cracker unleashed another Devastator Cannon. "Bye bye," Techno said, giggling loudly as the powerful beam approached its targets.   
  
"Jump!"Kerberos shouted to his fellow Sun Guardian, leaping into the air.   
  
Spinel Sun leaped just as the Devastator Cannon hit its mark. The ground exploded below the Sun Guardians.   
  
"What?" Cracker exclaimed in frustration.   
  
Techno aimed his hammer upward. "Rocket Hammer!" he shouted, deploying missiles rapidly.   
  
Kerberos and Spinel Sun dodged missile after missile. "You shouldn't have taken so long!" Kerberos shouted as he dodged the explosions around him.   
  
Cracker snarled and targeted the Sun Guardians. "Cannonbomb!"   
  
"So what's our next move?" Spinel Sun asked after ducking an exploding Cannonbomb and a few of Techno's rockets. "Considering the number of projectiles they're sending at us, it won't be long until they get lucky."   
  
"On my mark, we charge 'em," Kerberos answered as he sidestepped some missiles.   
  
"What?" Spinel Sun flew around some Cannonbombs.   
  
"Well, we can't stay up here forever," Kerberos said as the air exploded around them.   
  
"A valid point," Spinel Sun agreed, barely avoiding a Cannonbomb.   
  
Techno and Cracker watched the Guardians avoid their projectiles. "They can't keep dodging us for long!" Cracker declared.   
  
Techno giggled. "Sooner or later, we'll blow them out of the sky!"   
  
"Now!" Kerberos flared up and flew at Cracker. Spinel Sun followed suit and went for Techno. Missiles exploded around them as they made their descent. They ignored the ones hitting them.   
  
Kerberos rammed into Cracker, taking the giant down. Spinel Sun flew into Techno and knocked him down. "This is for what you did at our home," the dark Sun Guardian said as he leapt off.   
  
Techno snarled as he picked himself up. Raising his hammer, he unleashed another Rocket Hammer attack. Spinel Sun flew over the missiles and hit Techno with an energy beam from his mouth. The hunchbacked Master staggered back, and Spinel Sun flew at him. Recovering, Techno raised his hammer and brought it down on Spinel's head. The Sun Guardian crashed to the ground.   
  
Kerberos jumped off his enemy in time to avoid his large fist. "Too slow!" he mocked as he hovered over the gigantic Cyber.   
  
"Eeeeeeergh!" Cracker fumed, leaping at Kerberos with his fist glowing. "Dynamite Punch!"   
  
Cracker's fist met its target, and Kerberos was thrown back by the resulting explosion. He stopped himself before he could crash into nearby building. He growled at the laughing Cracker. "Okay, you hunk of junk, time for me to send you to the scrap heap!" he growled.   
  
"Oh, I'm so scared, Guardian," Cracker said mockingly, wiggling his fingers in the air. He activated his cannon arm and aimed it at Kerberos. "Devastator Cannon!" he shouted, unleashing an energy beam.   
  
Kerberos flew upward, and the Devastator Cannon destroyed a significant portion fo the building. Concrete and glass fragments flew away and fell to the ground.   
  
"Huh?" Cracker looked around. "Where'd he go?"   
  
The answer came in the form of Kerberos hitting him from behind. Thrown forward, Cracker recovered and took aim. "Cannonbomb!" he shouted, launching bomb after bomb at the winged lion.   
  
Kerberos sped upward and positioned himself behind Cracker. Before the Master Cyber could react, Kerberos roared and unleashed a powerful blast of fire at him. The attack exploded on contact, sending Cracker crashing into a building.   
  
Spinel Sun moaned and willed his limbs to pick him up. Techno giggled as the winged panther got to his feet slowly. "I'll finish you off now," he declared, making his hammer glow. Leaping into the air, he raised his weapon and shouted, "Power Pound!"   
  
Now firmly on his feet, Spinel Sun focused all his energy. Before Techno could strike, the dark Sun Guardian roared and fired a gigantic blast at the Master Cyber.   
  
"Wha...Aaaaaaagh!" The attack took Techno by surprise and sent him flying off at a high speed. The hunchback ended up crashing into the same building Cracker went into.   
  
Kerberos joined Spinel Sun. "Well, scratch two losers," the golden-eyed Guardian remarked cockily.   
  
"Hmmmmmm..." Spinel Sun eyed the building thoughtfully.   
  
Sakura turned her attention from her opponent to the two Masters crashing into the building. "Yatta!" she shouted happily at the sight of Techno and Cracker being defeated. Hacker interrupted her moment of celebration with a sword swing, causing Sakura to step back.   
  
"Celebrate only when victory is truly yours, Cardmistress!" Hacker warned her sternly.   
  
"Release! Shot!" Sakura activated the Shot Card and fired at Hacker with her sword.   
  
Hacker moved his beam sabers to block Sakura's shots. "Data Slash!" he shouted, sending an energy wave towards Sakura.   
  
"Hoooeeeeeee!" Sakura leapt out of the way in time, and the Data Slash exploded on an abandoned car.   
  
Hacker unleashed another Data Slash at the young Cardmistress. Unable to move out of the way or pull out a Sakura Card in time, Sakura did the only thing she could do on such short notice. Without an idea on what would happen, she swung her sword at the incoming projectile. The energy wave vaporized before her.   
  
"Hoe?" Sakura blinked, holding her sword before her.   
  
"Hmmmmmmmm..." Hacker studied the Cardmistress. "Well, your blade is tougher than it looks, Miss Kinomoto."   
  
"I won't let you hurt any more people!" Sakura declared, keeping her sword in front of her.   
  
"Then we must finish this battle quickly," Hacker replied. He rushed Sakura and swung at her. Sakura backed away and swung back. Hacker blocked the attack, and the two combatants exchanged more blows.   
  
* * * * *   
  
"Any last words before my pets take a little nibble?" Psycho asked his captive audience.   
  
The Worms hissed and readied themselves to bite their victims. Keeping his glare on Psycho, Yue said, "Actually, we have something to show you."   
  
"And what would that be?" Psycho asked with a sneer.   
  
"This!" Ruby Moon spun around so quickly she formed a red tornado. Yue copied her, and Psycho found himself facing two tornadoes, one red and the other light blue. Soon, the two Worms flew out of the funnels and fell to the ground below.   
  
"My babies!" Psycho growled and charged up his hands. "Joy Buzzer!" he said, firing into the tornadoes.   
  
Upon entering the tornadoes, the Joy Buzzers dispersed. The light blue tornado charged at Psycho while the red one spun away. Fighting the pull, Psycho flew upward and looked into the wind funnel. Seeing Yue, he started forming an energy ball in his hand. "I see you! Psycho..."   
  
The red tornado engulfed Psycho from behind and prevented him from attacking. "Aaaaaaaaaaa!" he screamed.   
  
In the center of the storm, Ruby Moon eyed the evil clown spinning around her. "I see you!" she declared, stretching her arms out.   
  
A few seconds later, thanks to two streams of crystal shards, Psycho flew out of the red tornado. Returning to normal, Yue fired at his enemy. Psycho stopped and ducked the blast. "Take this!" he shouted, firing giant sparks at Yue.   
  
Yue dodged the sparks and returned fire with arrows. "Psycho Trick!" Psycho said, raising his hand. The arrows struck an energy barrier and broke into pieces.   
  
Ruby Moon attacked from behind with crystal shards, throwing Psycho forward. Psycho's head spun to the back, his red eyes glaring at her. "Forgot about me?" she taunted.   
  
Psycho raised a hand and made an Psycho Bomb form over it. "Fine. You first, then Bird Boy. Psycho...!"   
  
A fist to the face from Yue knocked Psycho senseless. "You must pay attention better," Yue said. With a small smile, he kicked the Master towards Ruby Moon.   
  
"One clown going down!" Ruby Moon grabbed Psycho and threw him downward. For good measure, she and Yue fired gusts of wind to hurry him along. They watched him crash loudly. Chunks of concrete flew upward briefly.   
  
"We got him!" Ruby Moon shouted excitedly.   
  
Yue looked grimly at where Psycho crashed. "We cannot be sure." He flew towards the spot. Ruby Moon sighed and followed him.   
  
The two Moon Guardians hovered over the spot. "Hmmmmmmmmm," Yue sounded as he examined the area.   
  
"Why so glum? We destroyed him," Ruby Moon said, smiling cheerfully.   
  
Yue kept his gaze on the spot. "Did you watch the video my mistress' friend made?"   
  
"Yeah," Ruby Moon acknowledged.   
  
"Then you know you are wrong," Yue said sternly.   
  
"Give the Long-Maned Eagle a prize!" someone declared from above.   
  
Ruby Moon looked upward. "Nani?"   
  
"Psycho Trick!"   
  
Strings came at the two Moon Guardians and attached themselves to their limbs. Ruby Moon pulled her arm. "I can't break free!" she shouted, straining as she pulled. Near her, Yue also met failure in his struggle for freedom.   
  
The two Moon Guardians heard Psycho's unique laughter, and the evil clown did not disappoint them. He appeared right above them. Gone was the clown attached to a hover pod. Psycho now had legs which ended in curved pointed shoes. The skull theme resonated in his chest and knees. The strings hung from his fingertips.   
  
His face wearing a permanent grin, Psycho eyed his captives. "Now it's play time!" he declared, following up with another evil laugh.   
  
* * * * *   
  
"Uh, is it me, or is the building shaking?" Kerberos wondered.   
  
"It's the latter," Spinel Sun replied.   
  
The building before them shook violently. Below, Sakura and Hacker stopped fighting to watch.   
  
"Hoe?" Sakura wondered.   
  
Hacker shook his head. "Typical."   
  
Two figures exploded out of the building. They rose slowly to meet the Sun Guardians. Kerberos and Spinel Sun heard loud, insane giggling.   
  
"Nani?" Kerberos exclaimed.   
  
Techno and Cracker hovered before them. Spinel Sun studied the two Cybers closely and found no sign of visible damage. "Oh dear..." he said.   
  
"Missed us?" Cracker said.   
  
Kerberos growled and readied himself to charge. "Okay, how about round two?"   
  
Techno giggled. "Your funeral, kitty cat."   
  
"Kerberos, don't do anything rash," Spinel Sun warned.   
  
"Shall we introduce these Guardians to our...other selves?" Techno asked Cracker.   
  
"Let's," Cracker answered, smashing his fist into his open palm.   
  
"'Other selves'?" Sakura said, gulping.   
  
"But of course," Hacker said. "All Master Cybers have secondary forms to use in combat."   
  
"They do?" Sakura asked.   
  
"They do," Hacker replied.   
  
The Sun Guardians watched the two Masters closely. "Reformat!" Techno and Cracker shouted. They started to glow.   
  
"Oh, great," Kerberos muttered. "They're like Psycho."   
  
Spinel Sun watched the two Masters carefully. Techno got rounder and larger. His head shot out and stood out on an elongated neck. Spikes grew on his back, shouders, arms, knees, legs, and the tips of his feet. His hammer grew and changed from a round mallet to a large sledgehammer shape. Cracker grew taller and larger, and two cannons appeared on his shoulders. His arms gained three-barreled cannons, and the spikes on his head changed to one.   
  
The transformation finished, and Sakura and the Sun Guardians beheld the two Masters' new forms. Techno was a monstrous turtle almost covered with spikes. His head bore an open mouth with four pointed teeth and a spike shooting out of each side. His hands became sharp claws. Cracker was a towering arsenal with his shoulder and arm cannons. Spinel Sun noted the two small cannons located on Cracker's belt.   
  
Sakura's eyes widened at the transformed Masters. "Hooooeeeeeeeeeeeee..." she said worriedly.   
  
Kerberos snarled. "Oh, is that supposed to impress us?" he snorted.   
  
Techno let out a deep giggle. "Didn't you learn from last time, Guardian? Psycho would have killed you in his secondary form if the Cardmistress hadn't gotten lucky."   
  
"I'm afraid he has a point," Spinel Sun said. "Don't underestimate them."   
  
Kerberos glared at the two Masters. "All I see are two robots ready for recycling."   
  
"And all I see is two magical constructs about to be permanently erased!" Cracker countered, raising his fist.   
  
"We'll see about that!" Kerberos said through clenched teeth. He flew at the two Masters, ready to strike.   
  
"Kero-chan, no!" Sakura cried.   
  
Cracker would have grinned if he had a mouth. Panels on his shoulders opened. "Cannonbomb!" he shouted.   
  
Missile launchers sprung out and deployed their contents rapidly at the charging Sun Guardian. Making contact, the missiles exploded and stunned Kerberos.   
  
"Kerberos!" Spinel Sun flew in to aid his fellow Sun Guardian.   
  
"Kero-chan!" Sakura cried.   
  
Techno giggled as Spinel Sun approached. "I don't think so," he said, raising his hammer. "Rocket Hammer!"   
  
A large missile shot out of the hammer and exploded on Spinel Sun. Techno's giggling became louder as the winged panther was flung away at an incredible speed.   
  
"No!" Sakura cried.   
  
Cracker laughed at the stunned Kerberos. His fist glowed brightly. "Dynamite Punch!" he said as he charged the golden-eyed Sun Guardian. The last thing Kerberos saw was a bright light rushing at him.   
  
On the ground, Sakura saw a giant explosion engulf her friend. A second later, she saw him zooming out in the same direction as Spinel Sun.   
  
Cracker watched as Kerberos flew away unconsciously. "Heh," he said before taking off after him. Techno giggled loudly as he followed his fellow Master Cyber.


	11. Chapter 10: Clash in the City

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 10: Clash in the City  
  
"Kero-chan! Spinel-san!" Sakura cried as the two Master Cybers went after the unconscious Sun Guardians. She reached for the Fly Card and prepared to release its magic with her Wand.  
  
"Leave them to their battle!"  
  
Stopping, Sakura looked at Hacker. "But, my friends..."  
  
"Your devotion to your friends is admirable, but our fight has the most importance attached to it," Hacker stated. "If you defeat me, your Cards and Key are safe for now." He pointed one beam saber at the Cardmistress. "This matter will be settled through honorable battle only."  
  
Sakura fixed her eyes on the Master Cyber. "Why didn't you change like the others?"  
  
"A true warrior uses his basic abilities in combat and never relies on extras," Hacker explained. "The User may have given me a secondary form, but to use it is a dishonorable act." He struck his chest with his fist. "If I am to lose to you, I will lose fighting as myself."  
  
Sakura gasped with surprise at the swordsman's talk. "But you're so powerful."  
  
"As are you," Hacker pointed out. "You are the Cardmistress, after all."  
  
Sakura took up a battle pose, holding her sword before her. "Then let's finish this."  
  
Hacker readied his beam sabers. "Agreed." With a yell, he charged and engaged Sakura in sword-to-sword combat.  
  
After a flurry of swings and counterswings, the two combatants separated. Hacker's beam sabers glowed. "System Crash!" he shouted, using both sabers to fire an energy wave.  
  
Sakura ran out of the way and grabbed a Sakura Card. "Rain!" she yelled, releasing the Card's magic.  
  
A cloud formed over Hacker, and rain poured down on him. As the Master Cyber dealt with the falling water, Sakura chose her next Card. "Wind, become a binding chain! Windy!"  
  
"Data Slash!" With one hit, Hacker took out the rain cloud. He was about to attack Sakura with more Data Slashes when Windy wrapped itself around him and lifted him off the ground.  
  
"Carry him higher, Windy!" Sakura ordered. She hoped Hacker would be less of a threat if his feet were not touching the ground.  
  
Windy obeyed its mistress and carried Hacker to a higher altitude. Meanwhile, Hacker tried to break free by moving his limbs.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Psycho eyed his two captives. "Oh, goody! Puppets!" he declared, moving his fingers. Below him, Yue and Ruby Moon waved their arms and legs with the pull of their strings. "Dance, puppets, dance!"  
  
"When I get loose..." Ruby Moon muttered angrily as she danced.  
  
"Patience," Yue recommended.  
  
"Awwwwww, are my puppets unhappy?" Psycho asked in a mock sad tone. "Gee, I recall that you two tried to kill each other a while back."  
  
"Get ready," Yue whispered to Ruby Moon, hoping to take advantage of the momentary pause.  
  
"Well, it's time for you two to kiss and make up!" Psycho swung his arms and rammed the two Moon Guardians into each other. Smacking heads, Yue and Ruby Moon became a mess of tangled limbs. Laughing at the sight, Psycho made his next move. "Joy Buzzer!" he said, sending powerful jolts of electricity into his opponents. He laughed as they screamed. "Ah, what beautiful music," he mused.  
  
Psycho waved his fingers, making the strings disappear. The Moon Guardians dropped to the ground. He hovered towards them, laughing all the way.  
  
Ruby Moon got up first and glared at Psycho. Her teeth clenched, she flew at the clown and fired. Psycho dodged the attack with a spin. "Psycho Trick!"  
  
Heads with sharp teeth flew at Ruby Moon. Furious, she blasted the creatures away. Psycho waved his hands, and creatures resembling robotic crocodile heads fell on the red Moon Guardian. They snapped at her, determined to sink their sharp teeth into her flesh. Ruby Moon alternated between firing and swatting at the pests.  
  
Yue moved in to help Ruby Moon, but Psycho appeared in his path. "Move, clown!"  
  
A spiked ball appeared below Psycho. He flipped back and kicked it at the approaching Guardian. Yue fired at it, and the ball exploded, releasing a black gas cloud.  
  
Waving away the black gas, Yue saw that Psycho had disappeared again. Clenching his fists and teeth, he scanned the area. "Where are you?" Yue demanded.  
  
He heard laughter around him, then singing. "I like coffee, I like tea! I like toys, and they like me!"  
  
"Show yourself!" Yue demanded.  
  
Ruby Moon destroyed another creature, but more of its brethren appeared. "Yue, I could use your help over here!" she shouted as her enemies swarmed around her.  
  
Yue got ready to help Eriol's Guardian. The singing continued. "I see London, I see France, I see Bird Boy kicked in the pants!"  
  
Yue spun around, and Psycho appeared behind him. He attempted to fire, but the clown delivered a swift kick to the groin. As the angelic Guardian staggered, the Master Cyber laughed. "To be honest, I was aiming for your butt. You shouldn't have moved, bucko."  
  
Recovering, Yue straightened himself out. He stared silently at the laughing clown, his eyes narrowed.  
  
"Awwwww, did that hurt?" Psycho asked mockingly. "Taking into account the data we have on you Guardians, I thought you guys didn't have...well, you know..."  
  
Yue answered him with a crystal blast. He knocked Psycho back a little, but the clown just laughed. "Gee, what was that? Tickle torture?" He moved his fingers, and cards appeared in his hand. "Since your friend's playing with my Bits and Bytes, I thought it'd be fair for you to have some playmates, too." He threw the cards at Yue, who fired at them. The cards avoided the attacked and circled the Moon Guardian. Then, they grew into cards with faces and wands. "Cardians, attack!"  
  
The Cardians fired their wands. Yue flew upward and fired arrows at Psycho. A few Cardians flew in front of their master and took the arrows for him.  
  
"Psycho Bomb!" Psycho threw three energy balls at Yue.  
  
Yue dodged the deadly projectiles and fired crystals at Psycho. The Cardians formed a shield and blocked the attack, then fired back. Yue dodged and threw a powerful wind at the Cardians, scattering them. However, Psycho was gone.  
  
*Now where did he go?* Yue thought as he scanned the sky.  
  
Meanwhile, Ruby Moon disposed of the last Bits and Bytes. "Is this the best that clown can do?" she asked mockingly.  
  
Psycho appeared before her. "Nope," he said before blasting her at close range with three Psycho Bombs.  
  
The impact threw Ruby Moon into Yue's hands. "Thanks," she said, stretching out her hand for a crystal blast. Yue nodded and joined in with his own attack.  
  
The Cardians formed a shield in front of Psycho again and fired back. The two sides engaged in a gunfight, with crystal shards versus energy beams. Finally, the Cardians scattered, and Psycho was gone again.  
  
"Does this guy ever stand still?" Ruby Moon fumed.  
  
She and Yue heard Psycho's laugh. "What, and make it easy for you?" he asked, appearing before them.  
  
"That's it!" Ruby Moon clenched her teeth and charged the evil clown.  
  
"Wait!" Yue shouted, going after her.  
  
"Time for me to present my new trick." Psycho chuckled, then stretched out his arm. "Night Terror!" A ball of dark energy shot out of his hand and formed into a large demonic face. Flashing its sharp teeth, it roared and rushed at the Moon Guardians.  
  
Both Moon Guardians fired at the Night Terror, which absorbed their attacks. It opened its mouth and lunged at its prey. Yue and Ruby Moon split up, and the Night Terror bit empty air. Growling, it looked from one Guardian to the other and tried to choose its first victim.  
  
"Well, that went well," Ruby Moon quipped.  
  
Yue eyed the dark creature. "We must keep out of its reach until we find a way to destroy it."  
  
Just as Yue and Ruby Moon were about to move again, the Cardians boxed them in. They fired at the Moon Guardians, keeping them in one location. Yue and Ruby Moon answered with blasts of their own, but their shots merely knocked the Cardians back. Seeing its prey trapped and distracted, the Night Terror flew at the Moon Guaridans. Before they could react, Yue and Ruby Moon were engulfed by the dark energy creature.  
  
Psycho laughed as the two Moon Guardians struggled inside the Night Terror. "That's it! Do your thing! Suck enough of their energy to render them harmless! We don't want them to die just yet!"  
  
The Night Terror obeyed its master. Inside the living darkness, Yue felt his energy being drained. Near him, Ruby Moon started to falter. His limbs started to lose their feeling, and his eyelids grew heavy. Ruby Moon became unconscious, and the last thing Yue heard was Psycho's insane laughter.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Kerberos and Spinel Sun crashed into another part of the city. They formed craters due to the strong impact. Spinel Sun was the first to recover. "What happened?" he wondered, still dazed from the crash. Lifting himself out of the crater, he looked around and found his fellow Sun Guardian. "Kerberos!"  
  
Kerberos winced. "But, Sakura, you should've left me some cake," he muttered.  
  
Spinel Sun sweatdropped. "Oh dear." He swatted Kerberos with his paw. "Snap out of it!"  
  
"What's the matter, Sun Guardians? A little under the weather?"  
  
Hearing giggling above him, Spinel Sun looked upward and found Techno and Cracker above him. Returning his attention to Kerberos, he slapped the winged lion again. "Kerberos, snap out of it!"  
  
After a few more slaps, Kerberos shook his head and got his bearings. "What happened?" he asked.  
  
"They happened," Spinel Sun said solemnly, gesturing to the two Master Cybers above.  
  
Techno giggled loudly. "Good, you're both up. Now you can feel the pain we're going to serve to you."  
  
"Lucky shot," Kerberos said, glaring at the two Masters.  
  
"Aw, shaddup!" Cracker took aim with his arm and unloaded the contents of his arm cannon.  
  
Both Guardians leapt out of the way and fired back. The Masters moved out of the way quickly. Techno raised his hammer. "Power Pound!" he shouted as he brought down his weapon.  
  
A series of explosions rushed at the Sun Guardians. "Take to the air!" Spinel Sun told Kerberos. Kerberos followed Spinel Sun skyward in time to avoid the ground exploding underneath them.  
  
The Masters moved in for the attack. Kerberos and Spinel Sun answered with their breath attacks. They made contact, causing the robots to move back.  
  
"We got 'em!" Kerberos said, flying at Cracker.  
  
"Kerberos, wait!" Spinel Sun warned.  
  
Roaring, Kerberos unleashed a wave of fire at the giant Cyber. The fire covered Cracker, and he moved back. "Not so tough, are ya?" the lion asked as he dashed at his target. Igniting, he became a flaming projectile. As he got closer, he declared, "Now I got...!"  
  
Kerberos finished with an "Urk!" as Cracker grabbed him by the throat. "You should've listened to your friend," the Master Cyber said as the flames danced harmlessly on him. He increased the pressure being applied to the golden-eyed lion's throat.  
  
"Kerberos!" Spinel Sun prepared to help his fellow Sun Guardian. Too focused on Kerberos in distress, the panther failed to see Techno appear behind him.  
  
"Mad Bomber!"  
  
Spinel Sun found himself being grabbed from behind. A giant Time Bomb held him in its grip. As he struggled to break free, its timer counted down from ten seconds.  
  
Techno giggled loudly. Just as the timer ticked down to two seconds, he flew up. The resulting explosion threw Spinel Sun to the ground hard.  
  
Cracker eyed the fallen Sun Guardian, then returned his focus to the struggling Kerberos. "You should join your friend." He released the golden-eyed lion. "Graviton Blaster!"  
  
The belt cannons unleashed dark energy on Kerberos before he could counterattack. Feeling heavy, he crashed onto Spinel Sun.  
  
"Just to make sure you stay put..." Cracker aimed his shoulder cannons at the Sun Guardians. "Devastator Cannon!" he bellowed before opening fire. The combined blast from both cannons left a smoking crater with two Sun Guardians lying in the middle. They groaned as they tried to move. "Drats, they're still moving."  
  
Techno giggled maniacally. "Not for long. Vile Poison!" His neck bent back, and as it thrust forward, he unleashed a large dark gas cloud. It floated onto the Guardians.  
  
"Wh...?" Kerberos began to wonder, but his mouth froze along with the rest of his body. *Can't move!* Near him, Spinel Sun also became a living statue.  
  
Techno giggled at the now immobile Guaridans. "Time to finish them off! Spike Smasher!" The spikes on his body started to glow.  
  
"Big Bang Bomb!" A large rocket launcher appeared on Cracker's back. It fired a large bomb into the air. It climbed the sky for a while before reversing course and dove at Kerberos and Spinel Sun. At the same time, Techno's spikes detached and flew at them.  
  
*Oh...* Kerberos thought as the bomb and spikes got closer.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Sakura heard the faint noise of an explosion. Worried, she watched as Windy restrained Hacker in the sky. *Is it over?* she thought hopefully.  
  
Hacker struggled to escape Windy's grip. "Your power is amazing, Miss Kinomoto," he acknowledged. "However..."  
  
Sakura watched as Hacker's arms strained to stretch outward at his sides. Windy strained to hold the Master Cyber, but he managed to stretch out his arms horizontally. "Hoe?" she wondered.  
  
"I am not so easily defeated! Whirlwind Cutter!" Hacker's beam sabers glowed, and the Master Cyber started to spin rapidly. Windy got caught up into the resulting twister and dissipated. The tornado landed on the ground and charged at Sakura.  
  
"Hhhhoooooeeeeeeee!" Sakura cried as she ran away. She reached for the Dash Card. "Dash! Lend me your speed!"  
  
Thanks to the Dash Card, Sakura escaped the pull of the tornado and made it to the opposite side. The tornado stopped in front of the building and transformed back into Hacker. Sakura watched for his next move.  
  
"Let us see who is fastest, Cardmistress." Hacker started to glow. "Hyper Mode!"  
  
The glow around Hacker intensified. Bringing his sabers before him, he charged at Sakura. The Cardmistress dashed out of the way just as Hacker took a swing at her.  
  
"You cannot escape me, Cardmistress!" Hacker declared, making a turn and going after Sakura. Soon the swordsman was at her side.  
  
Gasping, Sakura barely had time to knock aside a beam saber swing. She ducked another swing and quickened her speed. Summoning Shot again, she fired rapidly at the pursuing Cyber.  
  
Hacker sidestepped and jumped over Sakura's shots. The glowing Master Cyber leapt into the air and made his sabers glow. "Data Slash!" he shouted, sending down Data Slash after Data Slash at Sakura.  
  
Behind Sakura, the ground exploded as Data Slash after Data Slash landed. She could barely keep ahead of the energy waves. She stopped and caught her breath. *I can't keep running,* she thought, watching Hacker hover over her. Taking deeper breaths, she looked through her Cards for something to use, occasionally looking at her opponent.  
  
Hacker watched Sakura carefully. "Choose wisely, Miss Kinomoto," he said quietly.  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. She beamed as an idea crossed her mind. She chose three Cards. *I hope this works.*  
  
"She will make her move." Hacker's beam sabers glowed, and he attacked. "System Crash!"  
  
Sakura tensed as the large energy wave headed towards her and held out the Jump Card. "Jump!" she cried. Her feet grew wings, and she jumped out of harm's way. Below her, the ground exploded.  
  
Sakura jumped so hard that she passed Hacker vertically. The Master Cyber, still glowing, flew after her. He readied his beam sabers for another attack.  
  
Reaching the height of her jump, Sakura let gravity take over, and she fell towards Hacker. She readied her next card as Hacker prepared to attack again.  
  
"Data...!" Hacker brought back his beam saber for another swing.  
  
"Glow!" Sakura shouted, raising her sword.  
  
Tiny lights appeared in front of Hacker and began to flash rapidly and intensely. "What?" Hacker exclaimed, his sight impaired by the lights.  
  
Sakura brought her sword down on Hacker. Her blade cut across his chest, leaving a diagonal scar that went from right to left.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Hacker's glow faded, and the Master Cyber fell to the earth.  
  
"Wood!" Sakura shouted as she fell. "Use your leafy arms to catch me!"  
  
A forest erupted from below Sakura, and she landed safely in the trees' branches. She slid down from the trees and watched the falling Hacker. He managed to stop himself before he could hit the ground and hovered downward to safety. He doubled over, but he kept one leg up.  
  
Kneeling and still clutching his chest, Hacker looked at the Cardmistress. "You have used your Sakura Cards well, Miss Kinomoto."  
  
Making the forest disappear, Sakura held her sword in front of her. "I promised that I wouldn't let anyone take away my Sakura Cards and Star Key!" she declared.  
  
"You are an honorable person if you keep your promises," Hacker stated.  
  
"If you are one, then you have to keep your promise," Sakura told the Master Cyber.  
  
Hacker stood up straight, showing the scar Sakura gave him. It emitted a bright glow. "I cannot leave because the battle isn't over yet," he said. "I do not give up so easily."  
  
"Neither do I," Sakura said.  
  
Hacker nodded. "You are truly worthy of being the Cardmistress, heir to Clow Read's magic. I hold you in high regard, Miss Kinomoto, and I will still do so despite the end of this battle." He readied his weapons. "Let us finish this!" he declared, running at Sakura.  
  
Sakura steeled herself. "To stop the destruction," she said quietly before rushing at Hacker.  
  
"Psycho Trick!"  
  
Just as they were close enough to strike, the ground exploded between them. Both combatants were thrown back. Hacker stayed on his feet, but Sakura fell to the ground hard. Her sword fell next to her and returned to its true form.  
  
"What?" Hacker said in frustration.  
  
"Itai," Sakura groaned. At the moment, she was very thankful to Tomoyo for adding extra padding to her battle costume. She started to get up.  
  
"I don't think so, girlie. Graviton Blaster!"  
  
Black energy fired from above engulfed the Cardmistress. Sakura tried to move, but her limbs were too heavy. *What's happening?*  
  
Laughter broke out from above. Sakura and Hacker looked at the source. Psycho, Techno, and Cracker appeared. The clown's Cardians were holding four figures with energy bands from their wands. Two were humans, and the other half were two small animals.  
  
Through her mask, Sakura recognized the Cybers' captives. *Yukito-san, Akizuki-san.* She noticed the two small figures. *Kero-chan, Spinel-san.* The sight of the defeated Guardians in their false forms gave her the strength to fight the Graviton Blaster.  
  
Seeing Sakura starting to move, Techno acted quickly. "Vile Poison!" He sent out a stream of dark gas at her. Engulfed by it, Sakura felt feverish and her limbs lost their feeling. She was stuck.  
  
"How dare you interrupt our duel!" Hacker addressed his fellow Masters hotly.  
  
"Sorry to spoil your fun, but we're really on a tight schedule," Psycho said. "The User wants the Cardmistress' magical objects, and what the User wants, the User gets."  
  
Hacker readied his beam sabers. "You have no honor, Psycho!"  
  
"Honor?" Psycho said with a snigger. "Honor is a human flaw, Hacker. Why you prefer to have it escapes me." He saw Hacker was ready to charge and attack. "What? You gonna fight your fellow Masters?"  
  
"The Sakura Cards and Star Key would have been won by me in fair combat if you hadn't committed such a dishonorable act," Hacker told Psycho. "Such treachery must be punished!"  
  
"So you're gonna take out all your frustration on us?" Cracker taunted. "Come on, we outnumber you."  
  
"And we outpower you," Techno added, giggling. "In these forms, our power is too much for you to handle."  
  
"Besides, despite your highly-vaunted honor, you're still loyal to the User, just like us," Psycho pointed out. "To fight us is to defy the User, and you can't do that."  
  
"The User is supreme," Techno said.  
  
"The User is life," Cracker said.  
  
"The User is all," Psycho said. "He ordered us to take the Sakura Cards and Star Key by any means necessary. So what if I decided to help you out? He'll get the Cards and Key, and we'll be closer to fulfilling our ultimate goal."  
  
Hacker glared at them, but he knew they were right. He put away his weapons, then looked at the Cardmistress.  
  
"Good boy," Psycho said. "Now follow the User's orders."  
  
"Grab the Cards and Key, Hacker," Techno said. "After that, waste her."  
  
"Yeah, look at her," Cracker said. "She's helpless."  
  
Hacker studied Sakura, who was still suffering from Techno's Vile Poison. The poor girl remained motionless. Hacker observed that her breathing was getting weaker. Near her laid the Star Wand.  
  
"Well? Get them!" Psycho demanded.  
  
To his fellow Masters' amazement, Hacker turned around and walked away. "Get them yourself, clown. I will not participate in this treacherous act."  
  
"What?" Techno and Cracker exclaimed.  
  
"This is treason!" Psycho snarled, shaking his fist.  
  
Hacker looked upward. "You're going to get the credit anyway, Psycho. I doubt the User will care about my actions as long as the results are favorable to him."  
  
"I think he's got a point there," Cracker said.  
  
"Yeah. The User will be so pleased with our success that he'll ignore everything else," Techno stated.  
  
Psycho glared at Hacker, but he knew his leader well. "Fine, be that way! I'll just take the Cards and Key from her little corpse!" He fixed his red eyes on the fallen Sakura and giggled. "So sorry, it's over," he sang as a ball of dark energy formed in his hand. "Time to die right now!" The ball grew larger. "Night Terror!"  
  
As the evil face reformed, Kero-chan managed to open his eyes. First he saw the Night Terror, then he saw Sakura on the ground. "Sakura!" he shouted.  
  
Kero-chan's cry of shock woke up the other Guardians gradually. Suppi-chan was first, followed by Yukito and Nakuru. All of them saw their fallen friend. "Sakura!" they cried in unison.  
  
"Look, Psycho. They're awake," Techno noted.  
  
"Just in time to see the Cardmistress bite the dust," Cracker commented.  
  
"To be more precise, to see the Night Terror take a bite out of the Cardmistress," Psycho clarified.  
  
Kero-chan tried to break loose, but his Cardian captor kept its grip. "When I get free from here..."  
  
"Joy Buzzer!" Psycho pointed at Kero-chan and gave him a little shock. "Stick around, kiddo. You don't want to miss the grand finale."  
  
"Don't worry about your friend," Techno giggled. "She won't be lonely for long. After all, you'll all be joining her!"  
  
The Night Terror saw its target and descended to the ground. Unable to move or speak, Sakura could only watch as the demonic face flew at her with its mouth open and ready to devour her life energy. As the Night Terror got closer and her eyes slowly closed, the young Cardmistress thought of her family and friends. *Goodbye, otousan, oniichan. Clow-san, Eriol-kun, Kero-chan, I'm sorry I failed you. Tomoyo-chan, I'm sorry you won't get to film me ever again.* When the Night Terror opened its mouth over her, a boy with messy brown hair in a green Chinese costume came to her mind. *Syaoran-kun...* 


	12. Chapter 11: Reunited! The Cherry Bloss...

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 11: Reunited! The Cherry Blossom and her Little Wolf  
  
Psycho laughed as the Night Terror hovered near Sakura. "Okay, boy, enjoy your snack!"  
  
The other Masters joined in with the evil clown. The defeated Guardians watched helplessly with their Cardian captors. Below, Hacker kept his back to the scene.  
  
If Sakura's eyes were still open, she would have seen the living darkness before her. If her lips could move, a loud "Hooooooooeeeee!" would have greeted the Night Terror. Instead, it found its victim unconscious. Edging in for the kill, it prepared to swallow the Cardmistress.  
  
"Raitei shourai!"  
  
"Lightning!"  
  
Two thunderbolts shot out from behind Sakura and struck the Night Terror. The dark creature was thrown back towards the Masters.  
  
"Huh?" Psycho looked for the source of the attack.  
  
Hacker turned around. "Could it be...?"  
  
"Nani?" Yukito wondered.  
  
Nakuru blinked. "That was..."  
  
"Then that means..." Suppi-chan said.  
  
Kero-chan groaned. "Great. Now we have to be saved by him."  
  
"Correction. We are going to be saved by them," Suppi-chan said.   
  
Frustrated, the Night Terror roared. "Get her!" Psycho ordered. The dark creature rushed at Sakura.  
  
"Illumination!"  
  
A bright light filled the sky. Roaring, the Night Terror staggered back.  
  
"Hey, who turned on the lights?" Psycho shouted, shielding his eyes.  
  
"I can't see!" Techno exclaimed.  
  
"Ditto here!" Cracker shouted.  
  
Psycho snarled in frustration. The light finally faded. The Night Terror was still hovering near Sakura. However, Psycho perceived a tall figure in a dark cape and hat standing between it and its target. "Hey, where'd he...?" the evil clown began to ask, but he stopped once he saw who was with the newcomer.  
  
Umbriel managed a small smile. "Missing these?" he asked, pointing to Yukito and Nakuru. Kero-chan and Suppi-chan flew besides him.  
  
Nakuru eyed the Darkling. "Umbriel. What...?"  
  
Suppi-chan looked into Umbriel's face. "If you're here..."  
  
In response, Umbriel nodded silently. He kept his gaze on the Masters, then looked at Tokyo Tower. Next to him, the Guardians attended to Sakura.  
  
"Sakura!" Kero-chan shouted, trying to wake her up.  
  
"Is she...?" Nakuru asked Yukito, who held his fingers against the Cardmistress' neck.  
  
"She's still alive, but if something's not done soon..." Yukito stopped himself from saying more.  
  
"Huh?" Psycho turned his attention to his Cardians. The Guardians were gone. Suddenly, the Cardians split in half and disintegrated one by one. Refocusing on Umbriel, he noticed the sword in his hand.  
  
"Uh, Psycho..." Cracker said, pointing to the Night Terror.  
  
The dark creature winced, then roared loudly. A slash mark appeared across its body. When it finished voicing its pain, the Night Terror flew at Umbriel and the Guardians.  
  
"Shining Charm!"  
  
A wave of golden energy struck the Night Terror. It joined the Cardians into oblivion with a loud boom.  
  
"You!" Techno hissed, seeing Umbriel. He raised his hammer. "This time I'll..."  
  
"Nightwing!"  
  
Thousands of shadow bats swarmed over the Masters. Psycho and his cohorts in the sky swatted at the creatures. Cracker resorted to firing at them wildly. "Hold still!" he shouted with cannons ablazing.  
  
Hacker swung his beam sabers at the bats to defend himself. "Hmmmmmm..." he wondered as he took out more bats.  
  
"Now! While they're distracted! Give 'em what you got!"  
  
"Right, boss!"  
  
Two missiles with angry faces flew at Psycho, Techno and Cracker. The resulting explosion threw the three Masters back.  
  
"Our turn!"  
  
"Payback time, Giggles!"  
  
A beam of light struck Techno and sent him flying. A powerful gust of wind caught Psycho and Cracker and flung them with the hunchback. Hacker jammed his beam sabers into the ground and hung on until the wind died down. Landing on his feet, he resigned himself to observing what was going on.  
  
"Sakura!"  
  
A boy in green Chinese traditional garments armed with a sword ran to where Sakura laid. Behind him, a large wolf in armor ran towards the scene with two girls riding on its back. Above them, a winged unicorn in golden armor with two girls and a spike-shelled bear with a boy flew with them. The bear's head was out while his limbs were retracted into the shell.  
  
"Hey, Greenbean! Wait up!" the bear's rider cried.  
  
"The gaki!" Kero-chan exclaimed.  
  
"Suppi-chan..." Nakuru began, pointing to the newcomers.  
  
"I know, I know," Suppi-chan sighed. "Should we be surprised?"  
  
Seeing Sakura on the ground, Syaoran hurried to her side. "Sakura!" he screamed. After picking up the Star Wand, he took her into his arms. "No..." he whispered.  
  
"She's still alive," Yukito reported to the Chinese magician.  
  
"But why isn't she movin'?" Kero-chan asked.  
  
Yukito frowned. "I wasn't here, remember?"  
  
"Those damn Masters!" Kero-chan curled his paws into tiny fists.  
  
Holding her staff, Ready got off Pegasus Uni, and the ever camera-carrying Tomoyo followed her. With his Shadowwalker Rod, Brandon leaped off O.G. Meiling jumped off Lupe while Maya climbed off. All of them joined Syaoran.  
  
"I thought I told you to stay home," Suppi-chan admonished Eriol's three students.  
  
"Gee, you're welcome for saving your butts," Brandon quipped.  
  
"I think we have other things to worry about," Nakuru said, gesturing towards Sakura and Syaoran.  
  
Tomoyo pointed her camcorder at the scene. "Sakura-chan..." she whispered.  
  
Meiling watched her cousin and the girl he loved. "Are we...?"  
  
Ready clutched her Staff. "Not if I can help it."  
  
Syaoran removed Sakura's mask. He saw her eyes were closed. He traced along her cheek, feeling her soft skin. "I'm sorry," he said in a barely audible voice. "Please wake up, Sakura. Please." Tears fell from his eyes and onto the Cardmistress' face. "Don't leave us. Don't leave me..."  
  
A moan escaped from Sakura's lips. Her eyes slowly opened and beheld the face of her concerned love. "S-S-S-Syaoran...kun?" she whispered.  
  
"Sakura!" Kero-chan cheered.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed, still filming.  
  
Sakura blinked. "Am I dreaming, or am I in that wonderful place in the sky with okaasan?" she asked, making a great effort to move her lips.  
  
"You're not dreaming, and you're not dead." Syaoran removed Sakura's helmet and moved his fingers through her hair. "I'm here for you, Sakura."  
  
Sakura tried to raise her hand to touch Syaoran's face, but her arm remained immobile. "Syaoran-kun, I can't move..." she strained to say.  
  
Ready stood before the couple. Syaoran looked up at her. "Can you help her?"  
  
"I'll try," Ready said with a nod. Studying Sakura and the Guardians, she held her Staff out. "Restoration!"  
  
The tip of the Starlighter Staff glowed, and the light spread onto Sakura and the Guardians. Syaoran beheld the golden aura around his beloved, then looked around him.  
  
"Amazing!" Tomoyo exclaimed as she continued taping.  
  
Yukito looked at his glowing hand. "My, how unusual."  
  
"I'm feeling...stronger," Kero-chan remarked, flexing his arms. Near him, Suppi-chan and Nakuru nodded silently to each other.  
  
The glow faded away. "What just happened here?" Yukito asked.  
  
"Ready just revitalized us Guardians," Suppi-chan explained. "We should be strong enough to return to our true forms now."  
  
"What about Sakura?" Kero-chan asked, looking at her and the boy he strongly disliked.  
  
Syaoran returned his gaze to Sakura, who opened her eyes fully. "Syaoran-kun..."  
  
"Are you okay?" Syaoran asked softly, handing her the Star Wand.  
  
"I am," Sakura answered as she took the Star Wand, "now that you're here with me." She reached up for his face. "Syaoran-kun..." she said as she touched his cheek.  
  
"Sakura..." A blush crept slowly onto the young Li's face as he looked into Sakura's green eyes. Sakura's face reddened as she gazed into his brown eyes. His face reddening even more, Syaoran pulled Sakura towards him. Without resistance, she fell into his arms. Gulping and hearing his heart go "Badum badum badum" rapidly, Syaoran slowly wrapped his arms around the girl he loved. Sakura wrapped her arms around his back and leaned against his shoulder.  
  
"Syaoran-kun," Sakura whispered, smiling.  
  
Syaoran's hand moved to the back of her head. "Sakura," he whispered back, feeling her hair.  
  
"Kawaii!" Tomoyo gushed.  
  
"Aw, that's so sweet," Ready commented.  
  
"Oh, why isn't Touya-kun here so I could hug him?" Nakuru wished.  
  
"I'm feeling sick," Kero-chan moaned.  
  
Sakura and Syaoran's eyes widened. They saw almost everyone around them watching their tender moment. Tomoyo was filming intensely. From afar, Hacker observed the reunion of the two young lovers. Quickly, they ended their hug, and Syaoran helped Sakura to her feet. They bowed her heads until the redness faded away.  
  
"Sakura-chan, you and Li-kun were so kawaii!" Tomoyo exclaimed, patting her camera. "I'll call this 'Sakura-chan's reunion with her true love.'"  
  
Sakura sweatdropped. "Tomoyo-chan..."  
  
Cupping her chin in her hand, Meiling looked over Sakura's battle costume. "Daidouji-san, what were you thinking?"  
  
"I wanted to make Sakura-chan look like the true heroine she really is," Tomoyo answered.  
  
Maya studied Sakura's outfit. "A very well-constructed costume, Tomoyo. Excellent craftsmanship and very practical. You have the makings of a fashion designer."  
  
"My duty in life is to make Sakura-chan look wonderful," Tomoyo said, beaming.  
  
"Definitely something going on there," Brandon whispered to O.G.  
  
"Uh-huh," O.G. said, nodding.  
  
Kero-chan flew up to Ready. "Hmmmmm, a Starlighter."  
  
Suppi-chan joined his fellow Sun Guardian. "This, Kerberos, is Brighton Ready, daughter of the Grand Illuminator," he said, gesturing a paw towards the red-headed American while glaring at her, "and one of Eriol's pupils, who is supposed to be studying right now."  
  
"I thought you guys needed some help," Ready said.  
  
With Syaoran at her side, Sakura walked up to Ready. "I heard you in my dream," she told the young Starlighter. "You're here to help me."  
  
"That's correct." Ready bowed a little. "It's an honor to meet you, Cardmistress."  
  
"Oh, just call me Sakura," Sakura assured the Starlighter. "Besides, I need to thank you for coming here."  
  
"No prob," Ready said.  
  
Maya joined them. "I'm sorry we weren't able to come sooner," she said, looking at their ruined surroundings.  
  
Sakura pointed to the Ecomancer. "You were in my dream, too."  
  
Maya nodded. "Torres Maya at your service."  
  
"Inventor, Ecomancer-in-training, and my best friend," Ready added with a smile.  
  
"Ecomancer?" Sakura wondered. "And Kero-chan called you a Starlighter," she said to Ready. "What exactly are those?"  
  
"An Ecomancer is a magician who can control the elements, and a Starlighter is a magician who uses both Star and Light Magic," Syaoran answered.  
  
"Star Magic? Like mine?" Sakura asked.  
  
"That's right," Ready replied.  
  
"But if you practice two types of magic, then you're more powerful than me," Sakura said.  
  
"Actually, you're more powerful than me," Ready said.  
  
"Why?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Because you're the heir to Clow Read's magic," Ready answered. "Your Star Magic is more powerful because you created it through your own effort while we Starlighters use basic Star Magic that's been around for some time."  
  
Sakura looked around her. "I didn't feel more powerful."  
  
Syaoran put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll find a way to fix all this."  
  
"I hope so, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said. "I hope so."  
  
Pegasus Uni joined them. "Good to meet you, Cardmistress," she said with a slight bow of her head.  
  
"Wow!" Sakura exclaimed at the sight of the winged unicorn.  
  
"This is Pegasus Uni, one of my Guardians," Ready said. "Umbriel is my other one," she added, pointing to the dark figure watching Tokyo Tower.  
  
"Do you have a Guardian?" Sakura asked Maya.  
  
"Yes, I do." Maya looked for Lupe, and when she found her, she could not help but grin and shake her head. "In fact, there's Lupe now."  
  
Sakura watched as Lupe bounded towards Kero-chan and stopped in front of him. "Kerberos!" she shouted.  
  
"Um, who are you?" Kero-chan asked the large armored wolf.  
  
Lupe smiled. "I'm Lupe, Guardian to Torres Maya," she said cheerfully. "I'm so happy to finally meet you, Kerberos!"  
  
"I'm sure." With a sweatdrop running down his forehead, Kero-chan laughed nervously.  
  
"I watched your fight against that evil clown, and I thought you were magnificent!" Lupe gushed.  
  
"Ya think?" Kero-chan said, smiling.  
  
Suppi-chan hovered near the golden Guardian. "Of course, then he was badly beaten by that evil..."  
  
Kero-chan grabbed the dark cat by the throat and pulled him towards him. "Mention what happened and I'll stuff you full of sweets after we get back home," he growled, fixing his eyes on Suppi-chan's.  
  
"I'll be good," Suppi-chan squeaked.  
  
Lupe proceeded to tell Kero-chan how fabulous he was, and he told Lupe to keep going. O.G. watched all this with some amusement. "Great, just what we need, a lovesick Lupe."  
  
"There's something I thought would never happen," Brandon said.  
  
As Lupe continued to enlarge his ego, Kero-chan spotted Brandon. His eyes darted to the boy's cap. Quickly, he transformed into Kerberos and flew at the young Shadowwalker with a roar.  
  
Brandon barely had time to jump out of the lion's way. "Hey, what the...?"  
  
Landing, Kerberos faced Brandon. "Shadowwalker!" With that, he unleashed a powerful fire burst.  
  
Brandon leaped over the fire. Kerberos fired again. "Why do people keep trying to kill me?" he shouted as he danced around Kerberos' fire attacks. Meanwhile, O.G. was stuck between defending his master and attacking the Cardmistress' Sun Guardian.  
  
Ready's eyes went wide at the sight of Brandon being attacked by the golden-eyed Guardian. "Brandon!" she shouted, rushing towards the spot.  
  
Sakura saw the attack and rushed over with Syaoran and Maya. "Kerberos-san, what are you doing?" the Cardmistress asked.  
  
Kerberos stopped firing. "This filth must be purged at once! He's dangerous!"  
  
"No, he isn't!" Ready ran to Brandon's side and shielded him from Kerberos.  
  
"Huh? A Starlighter defending a Shadowwalker?" Kerberos was puzzled. "When did this happen?"  
  
Suppi-chan appeared before Kerberos. "Ever since the two sides stooped hostilities between each other about a year ago. You really should pay attention to what happens in the magical world."  
  
Kerberos looked at Brandon, then Ready. "Well, since the Starlighter's standin' up for him, I guess he's okay." He walked up to them. "Sorry about that," he apologized to Brandon.  
  
Brandon glared at the golden Sun Guardian. "You know, today hasn't exactly been a walk in the park. We had to fight our way through a whole lot of robots to get here. Then there was a certain someone who kept complaining about riding with me and dissing my ride." He shifted glares to Syaoran, who glared back.  
  
"Much as I hate to admit it, the stuffed animal's assessment of you is half-right," Syaoran said gruffly. "You're not exactly a threat to my life."  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura exclaimed.  
  
Only Ready's strong grip prevented Brandon from attacking Syaoran. "Will you calm down?" she demanded. "We have bigger problems to deal with."  
  
"Let me at 'im!" Brandon shouted. "I'll show him what a Shadowwalker can do!"  
  
"Wrong-o, Brandon." Ready grabbed Brandon by the collar and gave him a death glare. Her eyes were ablaze. "You're going to accept Kerberos' apology and you're going to put aside this little macho dispute you have with Syaoran or I'm going to show you what a very ticked-off Starlighter can do."  
  
After calming down, Brandon gave Ready a little smile. "You look cute when you're mad."  
  
"Just accept the apology, mister," Ready said, grinning back at her friend.  
  
"Yeah, boss," O.G. said, nodding in agreement. "Kinda insulting if you blow off the Cardmistress' Sun Guardian."  
  
Brandon faced Kerberos. "I accept your apology, oh mighty Kerberos, great golden-eyed Guardian of the Cardmistress."  
  
"That's better," Kerberos said, grinning.  
  
Maya and Meiling shook their heads. "And how long have they been together?" Meiling asked.  
  
"Oh, I've lost track," Maya answered.  
  
Having recorded the moment, Tomoyo smiled. "It looks like two more need my help in romance."  
  
"I'll accept any help you can give me," Maya said. "I've tried so many times I've lost count."  
  
Kerberos eyed the large bear in the spiked shell. "So you've heard of me?"  
  
"Yep. All us Guardians, Starlighter and Shadowwalker, know about the creations of Clow Read," O.G. said frankly.  
  
"This is true," Pegasus Uni said. "Despite their efforts, both sides could never copy exactly Clow Read's creations."  
  
"You're one-of-a-kind!" Lupe gushed.  
  
Kerberos grinned at Sakura. "Ya hear that? I'm one-of-a-kind!" he bragged.  
  
Sakura studied the three animal Guardians. "So you all get your own Guardians?"  
  
Ready nodded. "Just like witches and their familiars."  
  
Sakura pointed to Umbriel. "Is he also created?"  
  
"No, he's a Darkling." Noting what her Guardian was doing, Ready started walking towards him. "Hmmmmmmmmm..."  
  
"The hostages!" Sakura recalled, following the Starlighter. Syaoran joined her at her side.  
  
"Finally," Brandon grumbled, earning his a glare from the Chinese magician.  
  
Kerberos faced the three animal Guardians. "So, what other good things do you know about me?" he asked happily.  
  
As the other magicians and their Guardians talked amongst each other, Yukito spotted Umbriel as he looked at Tokyo Tower. "Hmmm?" he wondered as he joined the Darkling. "Excuse me, but what are you doing?"  
  
Umbriel kept his gaze on the tower. "There are hostages in there."  
  
"Hostages?" In an instant, Yue appeared. "How many?"  
  
"I am still counting," Umbriel replied. "They are all gathered in the main observation deck."  
  
Sakura, Syaoran, and Ready joined them. "We have to get them out of there before the Masters return," Sakura said urgently.  
  
"I believe we have an obstacle," Umbriel said solemnly, pointing to the lone figure ahead of them.  
  
From his position, Hacker eyed the two Guardians and their charges. His arms were folded across his chest, hiding the scar Sakura gave him.  
  
"The one from Hong Kong," Syaoran realized, readying his sword.  
  
Hacker recognized him. "Ah, Mr. Li. We meet again."  
  
Umbriel drew his sword. "I recommend you release the people in the tower.  
  
"Or we'll come in there and get them ourselves," Yue added.  
  
"All of us." Led by O.G., the other Guardians appeared behind Yue and Umbriel. Followed by Tomoyo, Meiling and the other kid magicians joined Sakura, Syaoran, and Ready.  
  
Meiling assumed a battle stance. "Just try something."  
  
Hacker raised a hand. Yue and Umbriel got ready to charge him. A Keyboard appeared in front of the Master Cyber. Hacker pressed a key, and a Window with Formatter Altron materialized.  
  
"Y-yes, Master Hacker?" the underling asked.  
  
"The Guardians are on their way to liberate the hostages," Hacker said. "If you value your existence, I suggest you and your Servers depart before they come."  
  
"As you wish," Formatter Altron said, nodding.  
  
The Window vanished. "Do as you wish," Hacker told the Guardians. "They were given due warning."  
  
Yue and Umbriel nodded to each other, then dashed past Hacker and headed towards the tower. Umbriel leapt from beam to beam towards the observation deck while Yue flew. As they made their way upward, Formatter Altron and his Servers exited from the tower.  
  
"There's something I didn't expect," Brandon remarked as the Cybers marched up to Hacker.  
  
"I would have to agree," Maya said.  
  
Formatter Altron stood before the swordsman. "As you commanded, Master Hacker, the hostages have been left for the Guardians to rescue."  
  
"Good." Hacker turned to Tokyo Tower. A blue light flashed from the observation deck. Seconds later, Yue and Umbriel emerged from the tower and rejoined their mistresses.  
  
"The hostages are now in a safe place," Umbriel reported, bowing to Ready. "The Japanese Self-Defense Force are taking care of them now."  
  
"That's great," Ready responded.  
  
"Thank goodness," Sakura added.  
  
"That's one problem solved," Syaoran said. His eyes shifted to Hacker and the Altrons. "Now for this one," he said, readying his sword and stepping before Sakura.  
  
The Altrons aimed their guns at the kids and Guardians. In turn, they readied their weapons. Suppi-chan and Nakuru transformed. "Bring it on," Brandon said, keeping his energy blade in front of him.  
  
"Ready," Formatter Altron began. "Aim..."  
  
"Halt!" Hacker shouted, blocking the lead Altron's path of fire with his beam saber.  
  
Formatter Altron froze. "Master Hacker?"  
  
Hacker kept his focus on the Cardmistress, the other kids, and the Guardians. "I tire of using armies to decide this battle," he declared. He looked at Syaoran. "The Cardmistress is still recovering, Mr. Li. Do you wish to fight on her behalf to preserve her claim to the Sakura Cards and Star Key?"  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa," Brandon said, waving his hand. "You want to take on Greenbean in a one-on-one fight?"  
  
"That is exactly what I propose," Hacker clarified.  
  
Syaoran looked at the Master Cyber. "If I defeat you, will you leave Tokyo and never bother Sakura again?"  
  
Hacker shook his head. "I'm afraid I cannot promise anything on your second request. The User wants the Cardmistress' magical objects," he answered. "However, I can promise you that no matter what the outcome of the duel, I will withdraw all Cyber forces from this city."  
  
Meiling narrowed her eyes at Hacker. "Syaoran, don't trust him." Her focus shifted to the Altrons.  
  
"If you're worried about outside interference..." Hacker looked at the Altrons, who lowered their weapons.  
  
Syaoran nodded. "Everyone, stand down."  
  
"What?" Kerberos and O.G. exclaimed.  
  
Brandon stepped out and got into Syaoran's face. "Greenbean, are you out of your freaking mind? Evil robots, remember? They want to kill humans, including your girlfriend?"  
  
"I believe Hacker."  
  
All eyes were on Sakura, who joined Syaoran at his side. "Great, don't tell me you've gone nutzoid, too," Brandon remarked to her.  
  
Syaoran growled. "Don't you dare talk to her like that!"  
  
Ready covered her eyes with her hand. "Oy vey."  
  
Umbriel, Spinel Sun, and Ruby Moon sighed. "Maybe we should have accepted another Shadowwalker as an apprentice," Spinel Sun said. "His brother would've made a better choice."  
  
"He left on his own path, remember?" Ruby Moon told the winged panther.  
  
"Oh," Spinel Sun said. He turned to Umbriel. "How's he doing, by the way?"  
  
"He is fine," Umbriel answered, keeping his eyes on the Cybers.  
  
"What about...?" Ruby Moon began.  
  
"I believe Brandon's other reason for coming to England was to get away from her," Spinel Sun said. Spotting Brandon with Ready, he added, "Of course, the obvious reason also works."  
  
"Hacker is different from the other Masters." Sakura looked at the swordsman. "When the other Masters transformed, he didn't. He fought me in that form."  
  
"Um, can you say 'big trick'?" Brandon asked.  
  
"You mean like something a Shadowwalker would do, assassin?" Syaoran asked.  
  
Brandon's ears blew out steam. "Forget the fight with the walking tin can over there!" He pointed his Shadowwalker Rod at the Li magician. "You and me, Greenbean. Right now! Winner gets to kick robot butt!"  
  
Emerging from the group, Ready grabbed Brandon by the ear. "I think you should let him handle this," she told him as he dragged him along, ignoring his cries of pain. Tomoyo filmed the whole scene.  
  
Maya, Pegasus Uni, O.G., and Lupe sweatdropped. *Typical,* they all thought.  
  
Syaoran and Hacker eyed each other. "My Servers will not interfere," Hacker said. "You have my word as a warrior, Mr. Li."  
  
"Oh, don't make me gag, Hacker."  
  
All eyes darted upward. Psycho, Techno, and Cracker hovered above them. "'My word as a warrior'?" Psycho continued, making a wretching noise. "If I were human, I'd be losing my lunch right now."  
  
"Oh, goody. The Three Stooges are back," Brandon said snidely, keeping his weapon in front of him.  
  
"Psycho..." Hacker shook a fist at the clown.  
  
"Hacker, Hacker, Hacker," Psycho said, wagging his finger. "When will you get it through your pointed little head that honor is a human failing that the User really hates?"  
  
"And when will you get it through that twisted little mind of yours that such excessive force is unnecessary for these simple missions?" Hacker countered.  
  
Techno giggled. "Boy, Hacker, you need to liven up."  
  
"Yeah," Cracker agreed. "Have some fun. Waste a human or two, especially the helpless ones."  
  
Syaoran pointed his sword at Psycho. "You're the one who tried to kill Sakura!"  
  
Psycho took notice of the Li magician. "Ooooooo, look, boys, it's little Sakura's boyfriend!" he said before breaking out into a fit of insane laughter. "Put the toothpick away before you hurt yourself, Junior."  
  
Syaoran clenched his teeth and intensified his glare on the evil clown. "This ends now! I won't let you hurt Sakura or anyone else!"  
  
"My, someone's got a good speechwriter," Psycho sneered. "Guess I'll have to teach you a lesson." His finger crackled, and he pointed it at Tokyo Tower. "One order of barbecued fleshbags coming up!"  
  
Cracker looked at the tower. "Uh, Psycho, there might be a problem with that."  
  
"What would that be?" Psycho asked  
  
Techno giggled nervously. "The hostages are gone."  
  
"What?" Psycho glared at Formatter Altron. "You let them go?"  
  
Formatter Altron gulped. "Um, well, Master, you see..."  
  
"Joy Buzzer!" A bolt from Psycho's finger vaporized the unfortunate subordinate.  
  
"Oh my," Tomoyo said from behind her camera.  
  
Brandon blinked. "He wasted one of his own guys."  
  
"Hoooeeeeeee..." Sakura said, keeping her eyes on the evil clown.  
  
Syaoran held her hand and looked into her eyes. "Don't worry. I'll protect you, Sakura."  
  
"Syaoran-kun," Sakura said, returning the gaze.  
  
Tomoyo started recording the young couple. "Kawaii."  
  
"Please stop the pain now," Kerberos said.  
  
"Hang in there, man," O.G. told the Sun Guardian.  
  
"Oh, give me a break," Brandon groaned from behind, earning him another ear yank from Ready.  
  
"I think it's sweet," Ready said, glaring at Kerberos and O.G.  
  
Psycho looked at his enemies. "Okay, even though I can't waste the humans in the tower, I still got you guys to kill."  
  
"Fat chance!" Meiling shouted defiantly. "We can take you all on!"  
  
"Actually, from what we've seen, we might be at a slight disadvantage," Maya observed. "The leaders are far more powerful than the other robots."  
  
"Yeah. They did mangle you guys before we came," Brandon said.  
  
"They got lucky!" Kerberos said angrily.  
  
"One Master was able to defeat two Guardians," Tomoyo pointed out.  
  
"So how about we gang up on them?" Ready asked.  
  
Maya studied the situation. "Hmmmmm...if we could combine our attacks, it would be possible to defeat them."  
  
"That's right," Sakura said. "We can't give up!"  
  
"Sakura is right," Spinel Sun said. "If we work together, we can defeat the Masters."  
  
"We'll have to defeat the lower level goons first," Meiling said, looking at the Altrons. "That won't be a problem."  
  
"Hey, Laughing Boy!" Brandon shouted to Psycho. "After we wipe out your flunkies, we're going after you!"  
  
Psycho laughed. "I believe you're mistaken, Crow Boy."  
  
"After we dispatch your soldiers, you will fall before our combined might," Yue said, shooting a death glare at the evil clown.  
  
"With Kerberos leading us, we Guardians will defeat you!" Lupe declared proudly.  
  
Pegasus Uni sweatdropped. "Lupe..."  
  
"Yeah, with me leading the Guardians, I'm gonna knock that stupid grin of yours off yer face!" Kerberos shouted, grinning.  
  
"I would not get too overconfident," Umbriel warned.  
  
"Look at them, Umbriel." Ruby Moon gestured towards the Masters and the Altrons. "After we destroy the troops, the Masters are outnumbered."  
  
"Yeah, and I think these guys are no match for eight Guardians and four magicians," O.G. added.  
  
"Ahem!" Meiling gave O.G. a dirty look.  
  
"Oh, and one mistress of the martial arts," O.G. said.  
  
"That's right," Meiling said with a nod.  
  
"Well, maybe you should check your math." Psycho swept his hand with a grand gesture. "Everyone into the pool!"  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura wondered.  
  
The sound of movement made itself known to the humans and their Guardians. Sounds of jet engines filled the sky. Marching footsteps got closer.  
  
"I don't like this," Ready said, preparing for an attack.  
  
The ground rumbled around them. Enters shot out of the ground and surrounded the magicians, their Guardians, and their friends. They were followed by Deleters, Shifters, and Tabs.  
  
"Nani?" Kerberos said.  
  
Led by Controllers and Altrons, hordes of Cybers marched towards Sakura and the others. Backspaces rolled alongside Inserts, Caps, Homes, Ends, and Nums. Above, the sky filled with Arrows.  
  
Tomoyo recorded the incoming enemy forces. "These must be all the Cybers in Tokyo."  
  
"A-a-all the Cybers in Tokyo?" Sakura said shakily. Glaring at the incoming army, Syaoran stayed close to Sakura, his sword drawn.  
  
"Minus the ones we destroyed to get here," Maya added.  
  
Pegasus Uni looked around her. "We didn't really put a dent in their forces, did we?"  
  
"Apparently not," Umbriel said solemnly.  
  
Brandon eyed the seemingly infinite number of Cybers. "Guys, we're gonna need a bigger boat."  



	13. Chapter 12: Cleaning Out the Pool

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 12: Cleaning Out the Pool  
  
Standing in the middle of the sea of Cybers, Sakura surveyed the scene. Above her, Arrows hovered with their weapons armed. Around her, the ground troops were ready to shower her and her friends with lasers, bombs, and missiles.  
  
"Not looking good," Pegasus Uni remarked.  
  
"Gee, you noticed?" Brandon said dryly. "So, anyone have a plan that'll get us out of this?"  
  
"I say we fight!" Meiling answered, holding her fists before her.  
  
"The chances of us defeating this large a force are slim," Maya calculated. "Besides, even if we destroy all these Cybers, we'd exhaust ourselves, and we still have them to deal with," she added, pointing to Psycho and his two cohorts in destruction.  
  
"We'd be too weak from fighting these guys," Ready said, catching on. "Then the Masters would finish us off."  
  
"That's what I perceive to be their plan," Maya said, nodding. "If the soldiers don't kill us, then their leaders will."  
  
"We have to do something!" Kerberos shouted in frustration.  
  
"Sakura-chan, what will we do?" Tomoyo asked, turning away from filming for a moment.  
  
"Yeah, Sakura, what'll we do?" Kerberos asked. "I'm ready to pounce on these guys!"  
  
"So am I, Kinomoto-san!" Meiling declared. "Let's take them out!"  
  
Sakura gulped. "Why is everyone asking me what to do?"  
  
"Because you're the most powerful magician among us," Syaoran said, placing a hand on Sakura's shoulder. "I have faith you'll know what to do, Sakura."  
  
"Syaoran-kun..." Sakura examined the situation again. An idea flashed in her head. "I know what to do!"  
  
Everyone looked at her expectantly. "What's your idea, Sakura?" Ready asked.  
  
Sakura motioned for everyone to huddle up. As the Masters and their Servers watched, Sakura laid out her plan to the others.  
  
"Hey, what are those brats up to?" Cracker wondered.  
  
"Maybe they're preparing their last wills and testaments," Techno said.  
  
"Hmmmmmmm..." Psycho looked at the huddled group. "Cybers, attack now!"  
  
"He would attack while the enemy is helpless," Hacker grumbled as the assembled Servers prepared to fire.  
  
All the winged Guardians took off and went straight for the Arrows while Umbriel, O.G., and Lupe remained with the kids. The large wolf growled at the enemy forces, showing her large teeth.  
  
"C'mon," O.G. said, daring the Cybers to attack.  
  
"Patience," Umbriel said, staring ahead.  
  
Syaoran turned to Sakura, who was picking two Sakura Cards from the deck. "Are you sure you're strong enough?" he asked with concern.  
  
Sakura nodded. "I'll be fine, Syaoran-kun." She readied her first Card. Above her, the aerial Guardians hovered before the Arrows.  
  
Kerberos growled. "Can we...?"  
  
"Wait," Yue interrupted, looking past the Arrows at Psycho. His hands clenched into fists at his sides. "Wait."  
  
"Levitate me and my friends! Float!" Sakura cried, striking the first Card. To the astonishment of the Cybers, the Cardmistress and the others floated to the sky.  
  
"Hmm?" Hacker watched the spectacle along with his fellow Cybers.  
  
"Earthy!" Sakura released the second Card's magic, causing the ground below to rumble. The shaking increased, and most of the enemy succumbed to it, resulting in a large number of fallen Cybers.  
  
"Allow me to help you, Sakura." Maya pointed her Ring at the ground. "Earth!" The Ring shot out a beam to the ground, and the tremors increased, causing more Cybers to fall.  
  
Techno giggled nervously as he saw the Cybers below struggling to stay on their feet. "Psycho, I don't like the looks of this..."  
  
Psycho growled. "Clever little brats, aren't they?"  
  
"Let's get them!" Ready said enthusiastically, seeing only a few Cybers still functional.  
  
"Yes, ma'am!" Brandon waved his hand. "Nightwing!" Waves of dark bats and birds swarmed all over the enemy.  
  
"Not again!" Cracker shouted as he and the other Masters swatted at the creatures. The Arrows also joined in, and some of them succumbed to nonexistence as the bats and birds drained their energy.  
  
"Now!" Kerberos roared, unleashing a fireball on a distracted Arrow. He smiled with satisfaction as the Cyber disintegrated.  
  
Yue and Ruby Moon unleashed their crystal shots on more of the Arrows. Spinel Sun entered the aerial battle with a mouth laser.  
  
Meanwhile, Sakura and the others lowered themselves to the ground as the Nightwing attack faded under the blasts of the Cybers, especially the flamethrower blasts of the Enters. As soon as their feet touched the ground, Ready and Brandon rushed out to take on the few Cybers still standing.  
  
O.G. followed his master and threw his fists into Ends and Enters and stomped Backspaces. "Outta my way!" he yelled as he kicked an Altron into a Controller.  
  
"Wait for me!" Meiling shouted, running after them. A Shifter got in her way, but it got a swift kick in the face for its trouble. A charging Deleter received a throw for its troubles.  
  
Umbriel shook his head. "Just like her parents in their youth," he mused. He ran after his mistress and encountered Deleters who were unfortunate to meet his swinging blade.  
  
"Fire!" Maya toasted a few Altrons before they could attack. Lupe roared and unleashed a fire blast of her own on an Insert before it could launch its missiles. The resulting explosion took out some nearby Backspaces and Homes. Tomoyo captured the moment on tape.  
  
Syaoran sliced a Tab in half before it could attack. "Sakura, please stay with Daidouji-san," he told the Cardmistress. "We'll handle these metal menaces."  
  
"Sword!" Sakura transformed the Star Wand back into a sword.  
  
"Sakura, please," Syaoran pleaded, "you've used a lot of magic. You need to rest."  
  
"I feel fine, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said, smiling and looking into his brown eyes. "I can fight. Really."  
  
Syaoran sensed the determination of his beloved. "I'll stay with you, then."  
  
Sakura nodded, and she and Syaoran faced the enemy. A Controller was leading a charge against them.  
  
"Ganbatte, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cheered, focusing her camcorder on her best friend.  
  
Sakura turned momentarily to Tomoyo. "Get to safety, Tomoyo-chan!" she yelled just before an Altron fired its arm at her. The Cardmistress moved in time and sliced it off.  
  
"Raitei shourai!" Syaoran destroyed the Altron with a thunderbolt and decapitated a Deleter with a swing of his blade. "Daidouji-san, stay back!" he shouted as he vaporized a Cap. Another Cap transformed into its stronger form and threw a punch at Syaoran. The Chinese magician ducked the attack and responded with a slash to the large Cyber's knee joints.  
  
"Don't worry about Tomoyo!" Maya shouted as she unleashed a fire blast on more Cybers. "Lupe and I will keep an eye on her!"  
  
"Yeah!" Lupe said before chilling out more of the advancing enemy with ice breath. With a roar, she spun rapidly and charged into them, instantly shattering and vaporizing them. "Although," she said as she took out a Controller before it could initiate its Vertigo Wave attack, "I wish I could fly so I could help out Kerberos."  
  
Maya grinned and stuck to Tomoyo as the self-appointed filmmaker to the Cardmistress' exploits recorded Sakura and Syaoran dispatching the charging Cybers. "Wind!" the young Ecomancer said, blasting the enemy away with a powerful gust of wind. Lupe roared again and toasted the Cybers her mistress blew away.  
  
Sakura blocked a Tab's blade swing and knocked it back before slicing it diagonally. Keeping close to her, Syaoran took out Altrons with sword and ofuda attacks. As Sakura destroyed an Altron, an Insert tried to take advantage and aimed its missile launching arms at her. However, Syaoran whipped out an ofuda and flung it on the Insert. Rushing forward, he grabbed Sakura and ran away. The ofuda burst into flames, and the resulting explosion took out not only the Insert, but a group of Backspaces, Homes, and Ends as well.  
  
Stopping, Syaoran looked at Sakura. "Daijobu?" he asked, his face reddening from holding Sakura close to him.  
  
"I'm fine," Sakura answered as Syaoran let her stand on her own. "Arigato, Syaoran-kun."  
  
Syaoran blushed further, then refocused on the current situation. "Sakura," he said, motioning to the Cybers heading their way.  
  
Sakura nodded and took out Freeze. "Freeze!" she cried as she released its magic. Seconds later, the charging Cybers became flash-frozen.  
  
"Raitei shourai!" Syaoran reduced the frozen Cybers to nothing with a thunderbolt. He scanned the area for more enemies.  
  
"Very impressive, Miss Kinomoto, Mr. Li."  
  
Hacker appeared before the Cardmistress and the Chinese magician. Behind him, a few Altrons and Deleters gathered.  
  
Syaoran moved in front of Sakura and glared at the Master Cyber. "I won't let you come near her."  
  
"Hmm?" Hacker looked behind him. "What are you doing here?" he demanded of the Cybers behind him.  
  
"We are here to help you kill the Cardmistress and the boy, Master," a Deleter answered.  
  
"Go fight the other combatants and keep combat to them alone," Hacker ordered. "No noncombatants will be harmed."  
  
"But, Master..."  
  
Hacker took out his beam saber and pointed it at the Deleter's neck. "Follow my command or I will exercise my displeasure on you all starting with you!" The group of Cybers dispersed quickly, leaving Hacker to face Sakura and Syaoran. "My apologies, Cardmistress," he said, bowing slightly. "Mr. Li, my challenge still stands. Are you still interested?"  
  
Syaoran nodded. "We have to finish what we started in Hong Kong," he said, readying his sword.  
  
Hacker readied his beam saber. "The Cardmistress has already proven herself to me. Now it is your turn, Mr. Li."  
  
Syaoran stepped forward. "Syaoran-kun..." Sakura whispered.  
  
Syaoran touched Sakura's chin and looked into her green eyes. "I'll be okay. Don't worry." He faced his enemy. "I won't let anyone hurt you, Sakura."  
  
Both fighters eyed each other. Finally, Syaoran ran at Hacker with his sword out. Hacker ran out to meet him, and with a clash of blades, the duel began.  
  
In the sky, the Guardians were destroying the Arrows easily. Yue and Ruby Moon attacked with wind blasts and crystal shots. Kerberos roasted the speedy enemies with his fire breath, and Spinel Sun took out Arrow after Arrow with his beam. Pegasus Uni alternated between a beam from her horn and wind gusts and star shots from her wings. The swift Arrows proved to be easy targets because they were clumped together as they attacked.  
  
"Boy, these guys are easy to blow up when they're all together!" Kerberos shouted happily after he destroyed five Arrows with one fire blast.  
  
"Got that right, Kerberos!" Ruby Moon said happily as she took out Arrow after Arrow. "I think we've destroyed all of them!"  
  
Spinel Sun blasted three Arrows. "I believe you're right," he said as Pegasus Uni destroyed a small group of the flying Cybers.  
  
Yue glared at the three Masters. "Then that means we are left with only them to deal with."  
  
"Then let's get 'em!" Kerberos shouted, flying at the Masters.  
  
"Kerberos, wait!" Spinel Sun shouted, following him. "We must fight them together!" Yue silently joined the two, and Ruby Moon and Pegasus Uni joined him.  
  
"Here they come," Cracker remarked as the Guardians got closer.  
  
"Goody, it's our turn to have some fun," Techno giggled.  
  
Spotting Psycho, Kerberos flew straight at him. "You're mine, Toothy!"  
  
Psycho laughed and waved his arm. "Oooooooo, Round Two coming up! Psycho Trick!"  
  
Kerberos found himself being strangled by strings. "Gggggghhhhhh!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Hold on, Kerberos!" Ruby Moon shouted, aiming for Psycho as she and the other Guardians rushed to the winged lion's aid.  
  
"Hello!" Cracker flew in front of the evil clown and his captive. "Cannonbomb!" he yelled, unleashing a salvo of missiles from his shoulders.  
  
"Yikes!" Pegasus Uni cried as she dodged explosion after explosion. Besides her, the other Guardians danced around Cracker's attack.  
  
"My turn! Rocket Hammer!" Giggling loudly, Techno fired a huge missile from his hammer.  
  
"Scatter!" Spinel Sun shouted.  
  
All the Guardians flew away from the projectile in time. The resulting explosion threw them back in various directions, however.  
  
"Let's get 'em!" Cracker said as he flew after them. Techno followed his fellow Master, giggling all the way.  
  
"Awwww, too bad you don't get to play with your friends," Psycho said tauntingly to Kerberos, tightening the strings around his neck. "Ya know, I always wondered if Guardians could still live without their heads." The strings began to cut into Kerberos' neck. "Let's find out!"  
  
Before Psycho could answer his query, Yue appeared from behind and slugged the evil clown in the back of his head. The villain stumbled forward, and in the process, the strings around Kerberos' neck loosened. A crystal blast to Psycho's hand freed the Sun Guardian.  
  
"A-A-Arigato," Kerberos said to Yue as he glared at Psycho.  
  
Yue nodded and prepared to attack. Psycho managed a small laugh as he faced Kerberos, then Yue. "My, two-on-one. I'm getting a sense of deja vu."  
  
From afar, Spinel Sun watched the confrontation as he dodged Cracker's gunfire. "We need to get over there quickly!" he yelled, pointing at Kerberos, Yue, and Psycho.  
  
"We're a little busy right now!" Ruby Moon yelled back as she and Pegasus Uni unleashed their attacks on Techno.  
  
"That tickles! Are you trying to make me laugh to death?" Techno declared mockingly. "Mad Bomber!" he said, tossing gigantic Time Bombs with only three seconds on their timers.  
  
Ruby Moon and Pegasus Uni flew upward to avoid the large explosions below. "I think we'd better join Kerberos and Yue," Pegasus Uni suggested. "The three of us can't handle these guys, and Kerberos and Yue might need our help."  
  
"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!" Ruby Moon bolted along with Pegasus Uni while dodging more Time Bombs. "Suppi-chan, come on!"  
  
"Oh, now she decides to follow my suggestion," Spinel Sun grumbled as he took off after his fellow Guardians.  
  
"Hey, come back here!" Cracker yelled as he and Techno pursued their opponents.  
  
As the other Guardians sped toward their fellow magical creatures, Psycho was dancing around Kerberos and Yue's attacks. "Oh, come on!" he yelled as he dodged fire blasts, arrows, and crystals. "Do you guys need glasses?"  
  
"Now!" Ruby Moon yelled, joining in with her own crystals. Spinel Sun and Pegasus Uni fired their beam attacks at the evil clown.  
  
"Psycho Trick!" With a wave of his hand, Psycho made all the attacks vanish. Laughing, he faced the assembled Guardians. "My, my, five against one. Whatever should I do?"  
  
"Praying's a good option," Kerberos growled.  
  
"An excellent suggestion." Techno appeared next to Psycho, followed by Cracker. "You'll need something to fall back on after we're done with you."  
  
"It's an awfully long drop from here," Cracker sneered, pointing downward.  
  
"Mmmmmmmm, street pizza," Psycho said. "So, who wants to die first?"  
  
Yue glared at the evil clown. Kerberos roared, and the Guardians charged the three Masters. Laughing, Psycho made flying spiked mines appear in the air around him and his fellow Masters, then sent them at the Guardians. Their section of the sky filled with explosions quickly.  
  
On the ground, as Syaoran and Hacker fought, the other kids dispatched the enemy forces with some ease. Meiling utilized her martial arts expertise to take down her foes. After dodging a Tab's blade swings, she gave it two kicks and knocked it into a car. "Take this!" she yelled as she punched an Altron in the face after dodging its stretching arm. Before the Cyber could hit the ground, Meiling grabbed its arm and swung it into an Insert, knocking it into an End. Letting out a cry, she used the Altron as a pseudo-nunchuk to pound her enemies. Among her victims were a Controller that got its head orb smashed, a Tab that received a hit to the chest, and a Cap that was knocked out before it could transform. Meiling continued to swing the Altron around and took out more enemies. Sensing trouble, she leaped upward in time to avoid an Enter rising from below her. The mole-like Cyber prepared to shoot its flamethrower, but Meiling quickly brought the Altron down on its head, smashing it. Landing behind the Enter, she turned around in time to watch it fall and explode into oblivion. Looking around, she watched the Cybers she defeated disintegrate. "Hmph, hardly a challenge," she said.  
  
An explosion from behind threw Meiling forward. She avoided a very hard impact with the ground by stretching her arms out to catch it. As she lifted herself from the ground, a Backspace and a Num targeted her. The Backspace prepped its guns, and the Num leveled its rocket launcher at her.  
  
"Starbolt!"  
  
An energy bolt tipped with a star vaporized the two Cybers before they could fire. Ready appeared before Meiling with her Starlighter Staff pointed outward. "I thought you needed a little help," she said with a grin.  
  
Meiling grinned back as she picked herself up. "Well, even though I don't need it, I'll take it anyway."  
  
Ready eyed the Cybers heading their way. "Shall we?"  
  
"Let's," Meiling answered with a nod.  
  
Both girls jumped back as Altrons and Deleters opened fire. "Shining Charm!" the young Starlighter shouted, aiming her Staff at the incoming Cybers and vaporizing the first row with an energy wave. With a yell, Meiling leaped over the attack and kicked an End in the face, forcing it to fall on top of a Shifter. Two Altrons fired their arms at the young martial artist, but she caught them and pulled them forward. Twirling the two Cybers in the air, Meiling used them to dispatch more of the attacking robots.  
  
"Take this!" Meiling yelled as she smashed an Insert in the head with her new weapons. "And this!" she shouted as she took out a Deleter and a Tab.  
  
As she blasted and hit her foes, Ready watched her new friend pummel her opposition with ease. "Not bad for someone who doesn't have magic," she called out before bringing her Staff down on a Shifter's head.  
  
Meiling threw one Altron into a Controller and swung the other into a Shifter who picked the wrong place to teleport. "As long as I can fight and have a good reason to, it doesn't matter if I have magic or not!" she announced proudly as she rammed her fist into a Tab's chest. She leaped over another Tab's blade swing and landed on its head, smashing the Cyber into the ground.  
  
"That's the spirit!" Ready blasted a Home, and prepared to fire on an Altron. A Shifter surprised her from behind and threw its shoulder disc at her hand. The resulting electric shock forced Ready to drop her Starlighter Staff. The Shifter followed up with a tentacle that wrapped itself around Ready's arm. As Ready struggled to break free, the Cyber chuckled as it prepared to deliver a more powerful electric shock.  
  
It never got a chance, for Umbriel appeared and sliced the tentacle, freeing his mistress. "I believe having good focus is also key to being an excellent fighter, Mistress," he told Ready as he bent down to get her Starlighter Staff.  
  
"Uh, right," Ready said with a grin as Umbriel handed her her weapon.  
  
The Shifter fired its other tentacle at Umbriel. The Darkling grabbed the approaching weapon. The Cyber activated the electric charge, but Umbriel stood there and took the electricity without any ill effects. "I think not," he said, his red eyes glowing. With a powerful pull, he yanked the Shifter towards him and ran his sword through it. Umbriel watched as the Shifter disintegrated on his blade.  
  
Nearby, Brandon and O.G. were fighting more Cybers. Brandon was employing his Shadow Dance attack to decimate the number of enemies he was fighting. "Oh, geez!" the young Shadowwalker yelled as he sliced a Deleter in half by himself and an Altron via his shadow double. "Is this the best that evil clown can throw at us?" he asked as two Tabs were reduced to nothingness. "O.G., what was I worried about?"  
  
"I think it was the large number of these bozos we were facing before the big takedown," O.G. answered as he punched an End in the face. His fist broke through the Cyber's body, and it stayed on his arm until it disintegrated. "Whoa, robots don't do that."  
  
Another End took advantage of the distracted O.G. and fired its arm and shoulder cannons from behind. The impact threw O.G. into the ground. Two Homes marched up besides the End and launched their top missiles. The projectiles landed on their target with a loud boom. As O.G. winced, the Homes opened fire with their double-barrel arm guns with the End joining in. A Backspace rolled in and blasted O.G. with all its guns. Soon all the Cybers in the area were participating.  
  
Brandon saw his Guardian being fired on repeatedly. "Hang in there, O.G.!" he yelled as he made his way towards the giant bear.  
  
"Like I have a choice?" O.G. said as the Cybers continued to pound on him.  
  
An Altron shot its arm at Brandon and wrapped it around him. It pulled the Shadowwalker towards it as he struggled to break free.  
  
"What do I look like, a fish?" Brandon snarled as he was dragged in. He concentrated on his shadow, which was slashing an Enter into pieces. It rushed to help O.G., but an Enter tunneled upward and got in its way. Before the shadow could attack, the Enter roasted it with its flamethrower. "Okay, now I'm screwed," he remarked as the Altron continued to reel him in.  
  
With a battle cry, Meiling leaped into the fray. A flying kick took down the Enter. As the mole-like Cyber crashed to the ground, Meiling rushed at the Altron. She brought her hand down on its shoulder, causing it to release Brandon, who landed on his butt.  
  
"Brandon!" Ready and Umbriel ran up to the young Shadowwalker. "Are you all right?" she asked as she took his hand.  
  
"Um..." Brandon turned his head away to hide his blushing as Ready helped him up. Brandon could not escape Umbriel's watchful eye. The Darkling shook his head silently.  
  
Meiling gave the Altron a series of chops to the head. "Ha!" she cried as the Cyber fell to the ground and disintegrated. "You okay, Darque?" she asked.  
  
"I'm fine, but O.G...." Brandon said, pointing to his Guardian being fired upon.  
  
"Leave it to us, then!" Meiling declared before running towards the attacking Cybers.  
  
"Come on!" Ready grabbed Brandon and dragged him along. Umbriel followed them. The Enter that Meiling knocked down got up in time to be cleaved into two halves by the Darkling.  
  
With a yell, Meiling jump-kicked a Home and grabbed a nearby Altron. "I love using these guys!" she said as she swung the Altron into the other Home and some of the attacking Cybers.  
  
Ready aimed for the Backspace. "Starbolt!" she cried, firing a star-tipped energy blast at the tank Cyber. The target was immediately vaporized.  
  
Umbriel leaped at the End. The large Cyber stopped firing at O.G. and targeted the Darkling. Before it could fire, the End received Umbriel's blade through its middle. Both halves fell in opposite directions and disintegrated upon contact. Eyeing the other Cybers, Umbriel raised his sword. With the blade emitting an ebony light, the Darkling brought it down on the ground, sending an energy wave towards the firing squad. The attack vaporized most of it with a loud boom.  
  
Feeling little shots on his shell, O.G. slowly got up. "Took ya long enough," he growled.  
  
"You know, O.G., you're supposed to be my Guardian," Brandon said with a smile.  
  
"Well, boss, I'll just protect you from those bozos," O.G. said, glaring at the remaining Cybers.  
  
"Be my guest, buddy," Brandon said.  
  
Roaring, O.G. charged the Cybers. "Payback time!" he shouted, knocking a Controller's head off with one punch. One stomp crushed a Backspace. Seeing an End, O.G. made two cannons shoot out of his shell. "Say hello to my two little friends!" he declared, launching two angry face missiles at the Cyber. His face displayed a wide grin as the End exploded.  
  
"Should we help him?" Meiling asked as O.G. attacked the remaining Cybers.  
  
"Nah. O.G. needs to vent some steam," Brandon answered. He looked around. "Hmmm, looks like that group O.G. is demolishing is what's left of the flunkies."  
  
Ready spotted two people battling in the distance. "There's one more," she said, pointing in that direction.  
  
"Correction." Meiling pointed out a small group of Cybers approaching.  
  
"Great," Brandon said, preparing for the incoming enemy. "Just great."  
  
O.G. smashed the last Cyber. "Goody, more," he said as the new enemies approached. "Bring it on!"  
  
As another fight began away from them, Syaoran and Hacker exchanged more sword blows. Sakura watched as her true love swung and blocked the Master Cyber's attacks. Tomoyo, Maya, and Lupe watched with her, with Tomoyo once again playing camerawoman.  
  
"Ganbatte, Li-kun!" Tomoyo cheered, waving her fist in the air.  
  
Lupe growled at Hacker. "Maya..."  
  
"No," Maya said.  
  
"But..."  
  
"No, you can't go in there and help Syaoran out," Maya said firmly. "This is a fight between two warriors."  
  
"It would be dishonorable to interrupt a battle between two samurai," Tomoyo added.  
  
"Nuts," Lupe grumbled as she resigned herself to the role of spectator.  
  
*Syaoran-kun,* Sakura thought.  
  
Syaoran made a swing of Hacker's chest. The Master Cyber blocked it and made his own, striking Syaoran's left shoulder. Wincing, the Chinese magician thrust at Hacker, who sidestepped the attack. Syaoran's next swing knocked the beam saber out of its owner's hand and sent it flying. Hacker activated for his second beam saber, but Syaoran knocked that one out of his hand as well. The Chinese magician paused as Hacker went after them.  
  
"Hey, go get him!" Lupe shouted at Syaoran, who stood in one place.  
  
"He does not want to," Tomoyo said.  
  
"But he's got a chance!" Lupe said.  
  
"It would be dishonorable to attack an unarmed opponent, correct?" Maya asked Tomoyo.  
  
"It would," Tomoyo answered.  
  
"I'm surprised you're not using any magic," Hacker said as he picked up his first weapon.  
  
Gripping his left shoulder, Syaoran smiled as he caught his breath. "I figured you out, Hacker."  
  
"Oh, really?" Hacker said, recovering his second beam saber and returning it to its holder.  
  
"You only use your special moves when your opponents uses their own," Syaoran pointed out as he fought the pain. "Since I'm using my sword only, you're fighting with one sword as well."  
  
"Observant as well as brave," Hacker remarked. "You honor me with your presence, Mr. Li."  
  
"For Sakura's sake, we should finish this," Syaoran said seriously, glancing sideways at the Cardmistress.  
  
"I agree." Hacker readied himself. "Are you still capable of battling?" he asked, eyeing Syaoran's shoulder.  
  
Syaoran ignored the pain and pointed his sword at the Master Cyber. "I am."  
  
"For the User!" Hacker cried as he charged Syaoran with his beam saber out.  
  
"For Sakura!" Syaoran cried as he rushed at Hacker.  
  
Sakura and the others watched them exchange blows again. When Hacker made a wide swing, Syaoran leapt upward into the way of the sun. Hacker looked upward, but the sunlight obstructed his sight. Despite this, he prepared his beam saber as the dark figure he saw fell towards him. Timing his attack, he made a swing.  
  
Hearing a clang, Hacker saw his beam saber bounce off Syaoran's sword. Without any hesitation, Syaoran swung and made the scar on Hacker's chest become an "X." The Chinese magician landed on his feet, and the Master Cyber staggered back, the "X" on his chest glowing brightly.  
  
"Yatta!" Tomoyo cheered.  
  
"All right, Syaoran!" Lupe shouted happily.  
  
Syaoran looked at Sakura and smiled. "I told you..." He cut himself off when he fell to his knees.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura rushed to his side. "Daijobu?" she asked as she knelt next to him.  
  
Syaoran breathed heavily. "I'm fine. I'm just a little...exhausted." He looked at Hacker with a bemused smile. "He's got good stamina."  
  
Hacker clutched his wound. "Impressive, Mr. Li," he said. "Our data on you is correct, indeed."  
  
With Sakura's help, Syaoran stood up. "Do you wish to yield?"  
  
"I'm afraid I cannot," Hacker answered, forcing himself into a battle stance as his X-shaped scar glowed. "I must fulfill my duty to the User."  
  
Syaoran raised his sword. "I cannot yield. I must protect the one I love."  
  
Hacker nodded and raised his weapon. "Well, then, Mr. Li. Let us..."  
  
"Touch of Darkness!"  
  
A beam of dark energy struck Hacker from the side and sent him into a nearby building. As Sakura and the others watched, dark energy shots brought down some of the structure on the Master Cyber. A few seconds later, Hacker was buried under tons of rubble.  
  
"Nani?" Tomoyo wondered.  
  
"Yahoo!" Brandon appeared with the others behind him. "I got him!"  
  
"Great shot, boss!" O.G. shouted.  
  
Brandon ran up to Sakura and Syaoran. "Not bad, eh, Greenbean?" the Shadowwalker said to Syaoran with a grin. "You set him up, and I took him down. Very nice teamwork, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Syaoran growled. "How dare you, you dishonorable assassin!" he yelled, curling a fist at Brandon.  
  
"Huh?" Brandon said.  
  
"That type of action is typical of your kind, assassin," Syaoran said. "You have no sense of honor."  
  
"Excuse me? I just saved your life," Brandon said, glaring at Syaoran. "Now if you're gonna get all ungrateful on me..."  
  
Syaoran started to bring his sword up, but it suddenly dropped to the ground. He grabbed his left shoulder and winced.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura cried. Meiling appeared at his side and helped Sakura hold him.  
  
"I got this," Ready said, walking forward and placing her hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "Restoration," she said, causing her hand to glow over the wound. Sakura and the others watched as the wound healed under the increasing light.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, how do you feel?" Sakura asked.  
  
Syaoran checked himself. "I feel okay." He looked at Ready. "Arigato, Brighton-san."  
  
Ready smiled. "No problem."  
  
Brandon huffed. "Oh, sure, thank her for healing your shoulder while you diss me for saving your life. You're a real snob, you know that, Greenbean?"  
  
Syaoran snarled. Only Sakura and Meiling kept him from charging the young Shadowwalker. "I'm going to rid the world of your filth, assassin!" he declared with steam coming out of his ears.  
  
"Hey, Syaoran, calm down!" Meiling said, tightening her grip.  
  
"He was just trying to help, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said. "He didn't know it was an honorable duel."  
  
Syaoran forced himself to calm down. "If we weren't battling with these robots to save Sakura and Tokyo, I'd take my blade and thrust it through your poisonous carcass, assassin."  
  
"Gee, and I love you too, Greenbean," Brandon mocked.  
  
Ready slapped Brandon on the back of his head. "You're not helping."  
  
Brandon winced. "What? He started it," he said, pointing to the Chinese magician.  
  
Syaoran made another attempt to charge Brandon, and Sakura and Meiling stopped him again. "Let me at him! Let me at him!" he cried.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura said, gripping his right arm. "Calm down, please."  
  
"Yeah," Meiling said, gripping his left arm.  
  
Brandon gestured towards himself. "Bring it on, Greenbean!" he taunted, earning him another slap in the head by Ready.  
  
Sweatdropping, Tomoyo filmed the entire scene. "Why does Li-kun hate Darque-kun so much?" she asked Maya.  
  
Maya shrugged. "I need to look into it, but I think it involves Syaoran's family and a past Shadowwalker killing."  
  
"Oh my," Tomoyo said as she continued to record. "At least Sakura-chan is so kawaii."  
  
Umbriel watched the sky. "Hmmmmmm..."  
  
Suddenly, five shapes descended to the ground and crashed a few centimeters before the Darkling. Everyone's focus shifted to the loud noise.  
  
"What was that?" Sakura wondered, running towards the newly formed crater. The others followed her and joined Umbriel at the crash site.  
  
Ready joined her Guardian. "Umbriel, what's...Uni!"  
  
"Kerberos-san! Yue-san!" Sakura cried.  
  
From the bottom of the crater, all five winged Guardians groaned. "Hey, Sakura," Kerberos said, trying to crawl out from under Yue.  
  
"Sorry, Ready," Pegasus Uni as she picked herself up.  
  
Ruby Moon rubbed her head. "Getting a feeling of deja vu, Suppi-chan?"  
  
Spinel Sun got up. "Who's Suppi-chan?"  
  
Syaoran blinked at the sight. "All you five were defeated?"  
  
"Gee, no doy, Sherlock," Brandon remarked.  
  
Yue stood up. "I'm sorry we couldn't defeat them, Mistress."  
  
Sakura smiled. "I'm just happy you and the others are all right, Yue-san."  
  
"Not for long anyway!"  
  
Accompanied by evil laughter, the three remaining Masters appeared before Sakura and the others. "You really should look into getting better help, Sakura," Psycho said, laughing.  
  
Techno giggled. "Yes. They were terrible up there."  
  
"Sorry excuses for magical constructs. That's what they are," Cracker commented.  
  
"I do admit their stamina was a lot better than last time since they kept their true forms," Psycho said. "However, the magic that spawned them is far inferior to the magic that created us."  
  
"How can that be?" Sakura demanded. "Clow-san was a powerful magician."  
  
"And since Sakura changed the Clow Cards into Sakura Cards, she's the most powerful magician in the world," Syaoran added. "Her Star Magic is more of a match for whatever magic created you miserable metal monsters."  
  
Psycho laughed. "Little boy, the power we represent is far more superior to all magic in existence, including your little pink flower's Star Magic."  
  
"The User is the most powerful magician in the world," Techno declared. "Give in to his will or be crushed!"  
  
"Yeah! Just hand over your stinking Cards and Key, and we might let you live!" Cracker said.  
  
"Never!" Sakura shouted. "I won't let you use them for evil!"  
  
Syaoran stood before Sakura. "You'll take her magical objects over my dead body."  
  
Ready and her friends joined Syaoran. "Ours, too," the Starlighter said.  
  
All the Guardians completed the living shield before Sakura. "You will have to get past all of us," Yue said coldly.  
  
"Yeah!" Kerberos added, joining in a collective glare at the Masters.  
  
"No problem for us," Psycho said. "We can take you all on!"  
  
"News flash, clownie," Brandon said. "We beat your army and one of you guys."  
  
Psycho scanned the area. "Hmmmm, I was wondering what happened to Hacker." He shrugged. "Oh well, we'll get the sole credit for bringing the Cardmistress' magical objects to the User."  
  
"Hey, Psycho, let's finish them off now!" Techno said, giggling loudly.  
  
"Yeah. Enough talk!" Cracker agreed.  
  
Psycho looked down. "Well, kids, let's end this with a bang. Psycho Trick!" With a wave of his hand, he made a large number of spiked tops. With another wave, he sent them flying at their targets.  
  
"Rocker Hammer!" Techno cried, launching a giant missile from his hammer.  
  
"Cannonbomb!" Cracker said, unleashing a barrage of missiles from each shoulder.  
  
"Hooooeeeeeeeeeee!" Sakura screamed as the projectiles flew at her and the others.  
  
Ready raised her Staff. "Illumination!" A light dome appeared over everyone, and the bombs and missiles impacted on it, treating the kids and Guardians to various explosions. Tomoyo recorded the whole thing.  
  
"Whew," Brandon said as Ready made the dome vanish.  
  
Syaoran looked around. "Where are they?" he asked, finding the Masters gone.  
  
Sakura looked left and right. *Where could they be?*  
  
"Peekaboo!"  
  
Sakura felt herself being yanked off the ground. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" she cried as she dropped her sword, which transformed back into the Star Wand.  
  
Syaoran turned around sharply. "Sakura!"  
  
Tomoyo gasped. "Sakura-chan!"  
  
Psycho held the Cardmistress by her collar, then wrapped his arm around her. "Oooooooo, a pin cushion!" A sword appeared in his hand. "Let's use it!" he said, pointing the blade at Sakura's side.  
  
"No!" Syaoran rushed forward. "Sakura!"  
  
Cracker appeared before the Chinese magician. "Not so fast! Graviton Blaster!" He fired his belt cannons and hit Syaoran, causing him to fall to the ground. His sword landed before him with a clang.  
  
As Syaoran struggled with the intense gravity overwhelming his body, Kerberos and Yue flew at the evil clown. "Sakura, hang in there!" Kerberos cried.  
  
"Power Pound!"  
  
Both Guardians received an explosive blow from Techno's hammer. The hunchback giggled madly from above as Kerberos and Yue hit the ground hard.  
  
Psycho laughed at the would-be rescuers. "Anyone else want to be a hero?" he asked, the tip of his sword barely touching Sakura's side.  
  
Ready glared at Psycho. "Come on, guys! Let's save Sakura!" she shouted before running forward.  
  
"Wait, Ready!" Spinel Sun shouted. "We need a plan!"  
  
"I got her!" Techno flew at the Starlighter. "Mad...!"  
  
"Ready!" Pegasus Uni rammed the hunchback, knocking him aside. As Techno struggled with the winged unicorn, Ready ran past them. To make matters worse for Techno, Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun joined Pegasus Uni in fighting him.  
  
"I'll get her!" Cracker fired his arm cannons at the red-haired girl.  
  
"No..." Brandon muttered as Ready dodged the blasts. "O.G.!"  
  
"I'm on it, boss!" O.G. withdrew into his shell and aimed for the giant Master. Brandon and Umbriel leapt onto the Shadowwalker's Guardian as he was about to charge.  
  
"Hey, wait up!" Meiling cried as she jumped at the flying O.G. Umbriel grabbed her hand and pulled her in.  
  
"Anxious to battle?" Umbriel asked.  
  
Meiling grinned. "Let's just say I have a score to settle with that guy."  
  
Umbriel nodded and faced forward. "Get ready to jump off."  
  
"Like in a few seconds!" Brandon warned as they neared their target.  
  
O.G. flew by Ready and headed towards Cracker. "What the...?" Cracker exclaimed.  
  
"Now!" Brandon shouted, jumping off. Umbriel and Meiling followed him, and the bear Guardian crashed into the Master Cyber with a loud WHAM. Caught off-guard, Cracker fell to the ground along with O.G.  
  
Along with the others, Brandon landed near Ready. "You okay?" he asked.  
  
Ready smiled at him, which made him blush. "Never been better."  
  
Both Umbriel and Meiling shook their heads at the sight. Nearby, Cracker tossed O.G. off him and got to his feet. "Why I outta..." the heavily armed Master growled as O.G. picked himself up.  
  
"Aw, shaddup!" With a roar, O.G. ran forward and punched Cracker in the face. As the Master Cyber staggered backwards, O.G. delivered another punch to his stomach, forcing him to double over. A kick to the face sent Cracker to the ground. "Get going! I'll handle this creep!" O.G. yelled to the others.  
  
As Ready led Brandon and Umbriel towards Psycho, Cracker recovered and got back on his feet. "Yeah, right! Dynamite Punch!" he said, throwing a glowing fist into O.G.'s face. The resulting explosion made O.G. crash to the ground. Walking up to the Guardian, Cracker looked disdainfully at him. "Stinking Guardian. Nothing but a waste of magical energy," he said, aiming his shoulder cannons at the large bear. The weapons began to charge up. "Devastator...!"  
  
"Kyaaaaaiiiiiiii!" Meiling delivered a flying jump kick into the Master Cyber's back, sending him forward. O.G. kicked him with both legs, and Cracker reunited with the ground. Meiling got out of the way before the impact.  
  
"You!" Cracker snarled as he saw Meiling join O.G.  
  
"Come on!" Meiling taunted, gesturing towards her.  
  
O.G. got up. "Kid, you've got guts," he said with a grin.  
  
Syaoran felt his limbs getting lighter. Grabbing his sword, he rose and faced Psycho. "Let her go!"  
  
"Let me think...No!" Laughing, the evil clown got ready to plunge his sword into his captive.  
  
A hand reached out and grabbed the clown's arm, stopping him from carrying out his murderous motion. Psycho's head turned to see who was holding him. "You!"  
  
Sakura got a glimpse of her would-be savior. "Yue-san!"  
  
"No more games, clown!" Yue said menacingly as he tightened his grip. The sword fell to the ground.   
  
Kerberos dashed out and clamped his teeth down on Psycho's leg. "Hurry up, gaki!" he yelled to Syaoran through a mouthful of metal.  
  
Sheathing his sword, Syaoran ran towards Psycho as he struggled with the Guardians. Despite their efforts, the clown's hold on Sakura was still strong. "Syaoran-kun, help me!" the Cardmistress cried, reaching out for him.  
  
Syaoran grabbed Sakura's hand and pulled as hard as he could, but Psycho's arm would not budge. Yue reached for the arm and tried to pull it off his mistress. Ignoring the Sun Guardian biting into his leg, Psycho kept his hold on Sakura. "Sorry, boys, but she's staying with me!" he declared mockingly.  
  
"No, she won't!" Still holding Sakura's hand, Syaoran reached for an ofuda and slapped it on the clown's arm. "Sakura, don't panic!"  
  
The ofuda burst into flames before Sakura's eyes. "Aaaaagh!" Psycho cried, releasing his hold on the Cardmistress and waving his arm in the air. Syaoran pulled her into his arms and took her to safety, leaving Psycho to deal with the Guardians. "Sakura..." he began.  
  
"Arigato, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said softly. Then she realized something. "My Wand!" she exclaimed, pointing to it next to Psycho's feet.  
  
Ready, Brandon, and Umbriel ran up to them. "Hey guys," Ready greeted.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cried with concern as she and Maya rode Lupe towards the Cardmistress and the Chinese magician. Leaping off the wolf as she stopped, Tomoyo ran up to her friend. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm fine, but..." Sakura pointed to her Star Wand.  
  
"Leave it to me," Umbriel said, dashing forward.  
  
Psycho snarled. "Joy Buzzer!" An electric charge ran through his body, catching both Kerberos and Yue by surprise. Psycho elbowed the Moon Guardian aside and kicked the Sun Guardian off.  
  
"Kerberos!" With a howl, Lupe charged at the evil clown.  
  
"Awwww, what a cute doggie," Psycho said. "I just love hot dogs!" he added, firing a Joy Buzzer at Lupe.  
  
The wolf Guardian jumped over the blast. "This is for Kerberos!" she snarled. She transformed into a spinning projectile and struck Psycho in the chest.  
  
As Lupe knocked Psycho to the ground, Umbriel recovered the Star Wand. "Cardmistress, catch!" he said, throwing it to Sakura.  
  
The Cardmistress caught it with both hands. "Arigato!"  
  
Psycho knocked Lupe off him and rose. Around him, the Guardians gathered. "Oh, so you all want to die? Fine by me!"  
  
Meanwhile, Techno was trying to fight three very angry Guardians. "Now it's payback time, you reject from a Frankenstein film!" Ruby Moon shouted angrily.  
  
"I think not. Rocket Hammer!" Techno fired a missile at the Guardians.  
  
Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun took to the air. "I don't see making him mad as an excellent strategy," the purple Sun Guardian told his Moon counterpart.  
  
Techno shook his fist at them. "You can't escape me! Vile...!"  
  
Pegasus Uni blasted the hunchback from behind with star blasts. "Now!" she yelled to the others as Techno stumbled.  
  
"Go for the hammer!" Spinel Sun suggested, firing at the target.  
  
Spinel Sun's shot knocked Techno's hammer out of his hand. The weapon landed a little to his right. The hunchback ran towards it, but a crystal shot from Ruby Moon reduced it to nothingness.  
  
"I don't need my hammer to beat you three!" Techno shouted. "Mad Bomber!" He tossed a large number of gigantic Time Bombs at the three Guardians.  
  
Pegasus Uni flapped her wings rapidly. "Return to sender!" she declared as she blew the bombs back with a powerful wind.  
  
Before Techno could make another move, the bombs rained down on him. "Gaaaaahhhh!" he cried as he was buried in his own explosives. A few seconds later, all of them exploded.  
  
"Ouch," Pegasus Uni remarked.  
  
Through the smoke, Spinel Sun made out Techno. He was still on his feet, but barely. "These Masters are a tough group, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"Excuse me." Ruby Moon flew at the hunchback. Before Techno knew it, he became the recipient of a powerful punch to the face.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaa!" Techno yelled as he took an unwilling flight.  
  
Ruby Moon glared at the flying Master Cyber. "That was for making me think you were selling makeup."  
  
Meiling watched as O.G. and Cracker locked arms in a shoving match. Both titans strained to push the other down, but so far, they were holding out.  
  
"Give up, you worthless piece of magical trash?" Cracker asked.  
  
"Give up?" O.G. pushed harder. "I don't think so, you walking tin can."  
  
"You cannot defeat the Cyber World!" Cracker declared, pushing harder.  
  
"Says who?" O.G. snarled, pushing even harder.  
  
Both felt the increased pressure. Sparks flew out of their arms as they pushed. O.G. and Cracker willed their feet to dig deeper into the ground.  
  
O.G. felt himself sliding back. His push weakened. "Come on, O.G.!" Meiling shouted encouragingly. "Hang in there!"  
  
"Ha!" Cracker shoved, and O.G. fell to the ground. "Now, let's try this again!" he said, aiming his shoulder cannons at him again. Meiling got ready to rush the robot, but Cracker was prepared. "Not this time, girlie. Graviton Blaster!"  
  
A blast from a belt cannon forced Meiling to experience the unpleasant feeling of increased gravity. As she fell to the ground, Cracker charged his weapons. "For the User and the Cyber World! Devastator...!"  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"  
  
"Huh?" Cracker turned towards the sound of the noise. Before he knew it, Techno rammed into him. The hunchback's spikes embedded themselves into the titan. "Hey!" Cracker cried as he tried to keep his balance.  
  
Meiling felt gravity return to normal. Getting up and seeing the two Master Cybers in trouble, she broke into a run. Leaping into the air, she kicked Techno in the chest, driving him further into Cracker. She flipped away and landed besides O.G.  
  
"Get off me!" Cracker yelled to his fellow Master Cyber as he tugged on him.  
  
"I can't!" Techno answered, wiggling his limbs. "I'm stuck!"  
  
On his feet again, O.G. faced the unwilling two-in-one. "My turn, boys." His cannons popped out. "Candygram!" he shouted, launching two missiles at them.  
  
"Uh oh!" both Master Cybers exclaimed before the big boom happened.  
  
Psycho was having better luck against his opponents. Around him, Yue and the other animal Guardians laid on the ground, still breathing. "Well, that was fun!" Psycho said wickedly. "Who's next?" Scanning the area, his eyes rested on Sakura. "Hey, Sakura, want to play?"  
  
Clutching his sword, Syaoran stepped forward. "Face me, clown!"  
  
Psycho wagged a finger. "Er, hold on there, kiddo." He turned around sharply and punched an attacking Yue in the stomach. As the Moon Guardian staggered to the ground, Kerberos flew at Psycho only to get a kick in the face. Incensed at the sight of the Sun Guardian going down, Lupe ran at the evil clown. "Psycho Trick!" Psycho said, gesturing at the charging wolf. A muzzle and leash appeared on Lupe's snout. "Bad dog!" he said, yanking on the leash. "To the pound with you!" he said, flinging the wolf onto Kerberos. Seeing all three Guardians down again, he faced Syaoran. "Okay, now I'm ready."  
  
"Lupe!" Maya shouted, getting only a little groan from her Guardian.  
  
"Kerberos-san! Yue-san!" Sakura yelled, getting the same response.  
  
With his sword raised, Syaoran charged. Psycho made a sword appear in his hand and blocked the incoming swing.  
  
"Tell me, kid, why do you want to throw your life away for this girl?" Psycho asked as he attempted another blow.  
  
"Because I love her!" Syaoran answered, knocking the swing aside and making a thrust at Psycho's chest.  
  
The evil clown leaped back. "Aw, how sweet. I'll be sure to put your corpses together." Laughing, he made more swords appear in his hand. "Kiss your boyfriend goodbye, Cardmistress!" he shouted as he threw the swords at Syaoran.  
  
Ready aimed her Staff at the incoming weapons. "Shining Charm!" As the resulting energy wave vaporized the swords, Umbriel aimed an energy wave from his sword at the evil clown.  
  
"Touch of Darkness!" Brandon shouted, firing a beam of dark energy from his finger.  
  
"Raitei shourai!" Syaoran cried, shooting a thunderbolt from his sword at his enemy.  
  
Psycho jumped over the attacks and hovered above everyone. "Ha! Psycho Bomb!" Three energy orbs shot out of his free hand and flew at Sakura.  
  
Maya pointed her Ring upward. "Metal!" A metal panel appeared above Sakura and took the full brunt of Psycho's attack. Then it transformed into a buzzsaw and flew at Psycho.  
  
With one slash of his sword, Psycho reduced the buzzsaw into worthless halves. "You people don't get it! You can't defeat me so easily!"  
  
The clown got a combined crystal, star shot, and beam attack in the chest. "What does it take to shut this guy up?" Ruby Moon asked as she led Spinel Sun and Pegasus Uni towards him.  
  
Psycho snarled as he clutched his chest with one hand. "More than you've got, you bug-winged crossdresser. Psycho Trick!" He stretched out one arm and fired confetti at the charging Guardians. The strips of paper flew around them, then wrapped themselves around their targets.  
  
"Can't...break...free..." Pegasus Uni said as she struggled against her restraints.  
  
"Don't give up, guys!" Ready shouted encouragingly.  
  
"Ladies and gentlemen, meet gravity!" Psycho said, bringing his hands down. All three Guardians fell to the ground with a crash.  
  
"Ruby-san! Spinel-san! Uni-san!" Sakura cried as she ran to the fallen Guardians with the others.  
  
Psycho laughed at the sight. "How pathetic! Your little friends can't hurt me, Sakura!"  
  
Psycho failed to see the two missiles heading his way. Sakura and the others watched as the clown was caught in a big explosion and the following dark cloud.  
  
O.G. and Meiling showed up. "Hey, boss," O.G. greeted with a wave.  
  
"I hope we're not too late," Meiling said.  
  
"Just in time," Brandon said. He grinned at Meiling's load. "I see you got rid of the other Stooges."  
  
Meiling grinned back as she pointed to what she was dragging behind her. Still stuck together, Cracker and Techno groaned.  
  
"Sugoi!" Tomoyo captured the two defeated Master Cybers on camera. "Sakura-chan, could you stand next to them and pose?"  
  
"Hoe," Sakura said, sweatdropping.  
  
"You've been having better luck than us, I'm afraid," Maya said, gesturing towards all the fallen Guardians.  
  
Syaoran glanced at O.G., then at Meiling. "You've been working with this monster?" he asked his cousin.  
  
Brandon got into Syaoran's face. "What was that?" he said through clenched teeth, showing the Chinese magician his fist.  
  
"He's not a bad guy to have on your side in a fight," Meiling commented, pointing at O.G.  
  
"We kicked robot butt, baby!" O.G. declared, raising his fists in the air.  
  
Umbriel turned to see Psycho still standing in the sky. "Do not celebrate just yet," he said, readying his sword.  
  
"Boy, smoking is bad for your health!" the evil clown remarked, waving away the smoke. "Good thing I'm not human. Too bad you are!" Dark smoke emerged from his hand and descended to the ground.  
  
Soon, everyone on the ground was having a coughing fit. "Great," Brandon said with a cough. "We get to die in LA smog."  
  
Syaoran searched the thick darkness for the Cardmistress. "Sakura, where are you?" he called between coughs.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cried.  
  
"Over...(cough)...here!" Sakura cried.  
  
Both made their way to where Sakura was shouting from and reached out for her. The others followed them. "Keep talking, Sakura! We're on our way!" Ready called back.  
  
"Good! Keep talking! It makes it easier for me to kill you!" Psycho laughed as he threw sword after sword into the smoke.  
  
Trusting his instincts, Syaoran pulled someone aside in time to avoid a falling sword. Relief filled him when he saw Sakura's face. "Thank goodness you're all right," he said.  
  
"We won't be for long if we don't stop Psycho," Sakura said.  
  
"Leave it to me!" O.G. declared from nearby. He started firing his cannons skyward in a wild manner.  
  
Psycho laughed as O.G.'s shots hit other targets randomly. "Thanks for the help!" He flung a Time Bomb to where the missiles were coming from.  
  
Sakura heard something land hard. "Hoe?"  
  
Umbriel looked towards the spot. "Scatter!"  
  
Sakura and Syaoran ran away with Tomoyo in tow. Seeing them moving in the smoke, Umbriel led the other kids after them. All of them heard an explosion followed by something crashing to the ground.  
  
"O.G.!" Brandon yelled.  
  
"I hear you!" Psycho teased as he flung another Time Bomb towards the sound of Brandon's voice.  
  
The Time Bomb landed at Maya's feet. "Torres-san!" Meiling yelled, leaping at her. The tackle threw them both forward just as the bomb exploded. Everyone was thrown back by the explosion.  
  
Syaoran landed with Sakura in his arms. "Sakura?" he asked.  
  
"I'm fine, Syaoran-kun," Sakura answered.  
  
"So am I," Tomoyo answered.  
  
"As am I as well as the others," Umbriel said, his eyes sweeping the area. The sight of Ready and Brandon in each other's arms caused a small smile on the Darkling's face.  
  
"We're fine, Sakura," Ready said as she got up with Brandon.  
  
"Uh, yeah," Brandon added, stuck on whether to separate from his friend or not.  
  
Meiling looked down at Maya. "Torres-san?" She shook the Ecomancer. "Torres-san?"  
  
Maya let out a low moan. "My arm..."  
  
Ready let go of Brandon and with Umbriel's help found her friend. She helped Meiling stand Maya up. The Ecomancer winced as she was raised, clutching her arm. "I think it's broken," she said. "I must've fallen on it hard or something."  
  
"I can take care of that," Ready said, stretching out her arm.  
  
A small explosion next to them prevent Ready from healing Maya's injury. "Now what?" Meiling said in a whisper.  
  
"He's switched fully to explosives," Maya guessed as more explosions occurred nearby.  
  
Psycho laughed as he lobbed bomb after bomb wildly into the dark smoke. "Wheeeeeeeee! This is a lot better than Battleship! Only one or two hits needed!"  
  
Lying on his back, Brandon sprung up as another bomb detonated. "Um, somebody has to blow this smoke away before we get blown away."  
  
"I can't," Maya said. "The pain's spread to my ring hand."  
  
"I can do it," Sakura said, now standing with Syaoran and Tomoyo.  
  
"So can I," Syaoran said, getting ready to pull out an ofuda.  
  
"I can try Illumination," Ready offered, raising her Staff.  
  
"Good, but how are we going to beat Laughing Boy once we lose the smoke?" Brandon asked as the bombs exploded around the group. "Our Guardians couldn't beat him, and we have as much chance as toothpicks taking on a tank."  
  
"Are you doubting Sakura?" Syaoran said, flaring up. "Because if you are, assassin..."  
  
An explosion threw Syaoran to the ground. Sakura rushed to his side first, followed by the others. More explosions filled the area.  
  
"Is he playing with us?" Meiling wondered as Sakura helped Syaoran to his feet.  
  
"He must be trying to herd us all into one spot," Maya hypothesized.  
  
"The better to kill us all with one blow," Tomoyo said.  
  
Umbriel looked upward. "I will handle this problem."  
  
"How?" Tomoyo asked. "No one can see through this smoke to attack."  
  
Umbriel raised his sword. "I can," he said, assuming a throwing position. After seeing his target through the darkness, the Darkling sent his sword flying.  
  
Having determined where his targets were, Psycho readied another bomb. Just then, Umbriel's sword cut through the smoke and flew at the Master Cyber. Before Psycho could make his move, the sword embedded itself into his chest. "Aaaaaaaaaagh!" he yelled.  
  
The smoke vanished. "Looks like we didn't have to blow it away after all," Ready commented.  
  
Seeing Psycho struggling to pull out the sword, Syaoran took out his own blade. "Sakura," he said, motioning at his weapon, then at Psycho.  
  
Sakura nodded, understanding what Syaoran was up to. She pulled out the appropriate Card. "Strike the one who threatens my friends! Thunder!" she cried as she released the Card's magic.  
  
Syaoran pointed his sword at Psycho, making sure to aim for the sword in his chest. "Raitei shourai!" he shouted, firing a thunderbolt.  
  
Sakura and Syaoran's attacks merged into a single thunderbolt and struck Umbriel's sword, sending a very large amount of electricity into the Master Cyber's. The evil clown screamed as the attack coursed throughout his body.  
  
"Ah, a lightning rod," Tomoyo said, recording the moment.  
  
Fully recovered from the bomb, O.G. slowly got to his feet. "Okay, time for a robot reunion!" Grabbing Cracker and Techno and lifting them over his head, the spiked shelled bear flung them at their fellow Master Cyber.  
  
Everyone watched as Cracker and Techno crashed into Psycho. "Oooooooogh!" all three cried out.  
  
*While they're still off-balance...* Sakura pulled out Windy. "Wind, become a binding chain! Windy!" she said, striking the Card with her Wand.  
  
Windy emerged and flew at the Master Cybers. It wrapped itself around them, then spun rapidly to keep them from moving. Sakura-tachi watched the tornado as it spun its captives round and round and round.  
  
"Let's finish them off!" Meiling said.  
  
"Couldn't agree more." Brandon held his Shadowwalker Rod with both hands and aimed for the dark shapes in the tornado. "Shadow Demon!" he shouted. A black beam shot out of the Rod and formed into a humanoid shape with a bald head, red eyes, clawed hands, and bat wings.  
  
Ready aimed her Starlighter Staff at the tornado. "Starlight Angel!" An energy beam shot out of the tip of the Staff and formed into a female angel.  
  
Syaoran concentrated on the target, then made his move. "Raitei shourai!" he shouted, sending a powerful thunderbolt at the Master Cybers.  
  
Sakura decided to join in. "Thunder!" she said, firing a thunderbolt of her own.  
  
Through her camera lens, Tomoyo watched as all four magical attacks converged on their targets. All struck at the same time, treating Sakura's best friend and the others to a massive explosion. The loud KABOOM echoed through their ears, and their eyes took in the sight of bright light spreading and the tornado slowly disappearing.  



	14. Chapter 13: Eye of the Storm

Very, very special thanks to Silverlight for coming up with the title for this chapter :o)  
  
The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 13: Eye of the Storm  
  
"Yatta!" Tomoyo cried as the tornado completely disappeared, leaving no sign of the Master Cybers.  
  
Beaming, Sakura turned to Syaoran. "We did it, Syaoran-kun!" she said happily. Before the Chinese magician could react, the Cardmistress grabbed both his hands and spun him around happily.  
  
Brandon snickered at the sight of Syaoran's red face, but his moment of amusement was short-lived as Ready grabbed his hands and did the same thing to him.  
  
"Kawaii!" Tomoyo smiled and filmed the whole scene. "Sakura-chan and her true love are doing the dance of happiness, and so are Ready-chan and Darque-kun." At her side, Meiling and Maya watched everything with smiles on their faces.  
  
The fallen Guardians stirred. Kerberos lifted his head up from under Lupe. "Um, what did we miss?"  
  
The muzzle on her snout gone, Lupe got off Kerberos. "Are you all right, Kerberos?" she asked.  
  
Kerberos got up on all fours. "I'll live." He looked around. "When I get my paws on those stinkin' Masters..."  
  
"Hey, no worries, Kerberos!" O.G. said as he approached the Sun Guardian. "The kids destroyed those jerks."  
  
Yue, Spinel Sun, Ruby Moon, and Pegasus Uni picked themselves up and walked towards the other Guardians. "The kids destroyed the Masters?" Ruby Moon asked.  
  
"That's what I said," O.G. said. "They gave them their most powerful attacks, and BOOM, no more Masters."  
  
"Is my mistress all right?" Yue asked.  
  
"See for yourself," O.G. said, pointing toward the dancing Sakura and Syaoran.  
  
Kerberos bristled at the sight. "Gaki," he muttered.  
  
Sakura spotted the Guardians heading her way and stopped spinning Syaoran. "Kerberos-san! Yue-san!" she shouted, waving at them. "Ruby-san! Spinel-san!"  
  
Kerberos ran towards Sakura and purposely placed himself between her and Syaoran. "Hey, Sakura!"  
  
"Ready!" Pegasus Uni shouted, galloping towards her mistress.  
  
"Uni!" Ready released Brandon and ran towards the winged unicorn. Losing his balance, the Shadowwalker fell on his butt. Mistress and Guardian met, and Ready gave Pegasus Uni a big hug.  
  
The rest of the Guardians joined Sakura-tachi. "Well, that takes care of those Masters," Ruby Moon said.  
  
"I doubt that," Yue said.  
  
"Always the optimistic one, aren't you, Yue?" Ruby Moon asked with a smile. "There's no sign of them."  
  
"I have to agree with Yue," Spinel Sun said.  
  
"As do I," Umbriel added.  
  
"Oh!" Sakura went up to Umbriel. "I'm sorry about your sword."  
  
"Do not worry, Cardmistress." Facing where the tornado once was, Umbriel raised his hand, and his sword flew out of the spot and into his hand. "My weapon always returns to me."  
  
Sakura nodded in agreement, then froze. *That feeling...*  
  
"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked, noticing.  
  
Syaoran also got the same feeling. "Hmmmmm...it's still here."  
  
Ready turned to Sakura and Syaoran. "What's still here?"  
  
Syaoran faced his fellow magicians. "Did you feel a strange aura as we fought the Cybers?"  
  
"What strange aura?" Ready asked.  
  
"To be honest, I haven't felt anything during the fight," Maya admitted.  
  
"Oh, my gosh!" Ready exclaimed. She hurried over to her friend and held her arm. "Restoration!" she said, healing Maya's arm. She watched as the Ecomancer stretched and flexed the healed limb. "I almost forgot, Maya."  
  
"Don't worry, Ready," Maya told her best friend. "We have bigger problems to deal with."  
  
"Like this so-called aura?" Brandon looked at Syaoran. "Yeah, I felt something, Greenbean, but it was faint."  
  
"Same here," Ready acknowledged.  
  
"Syaoran-kun, didn't it feel familiar?" Sakura asked. "Like something we encountered in the past?"  
  
Syaoran nodded. "Hai. It felt like..."  
  
"Look!" Meiling shouted, pointing to the sky.  
  
Sakura blinked. "Hoe?"  
  
Three shapes descended to the ground at an incredible rate. They landed with a loud BOOM, and when the smoke cleared, everyone saw the crater the impact left behind.  
  
Sakura-tachi ran to the crater. "There's no way they could've..." Brandon began to say.  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised," Yue said as they reached the crater.  
  
Everyone stood at the edge of the crater and looked in. "Oh, come on!" Kerberos growled.  
  
At the bottom laid Psycho, Techno, and Cracker. All three Master Cybers were in their primary forms. Each Master was badly damaged with electricity crackling around them, but fortunately for them, all their limbs were intact.  
  
Seeing the kids and the Guardians gathered above, Psycho snarled. "I...really...hate...humans!" the evil clown said.  
  
"Ooooohhhhhhh," Techno groaned.  
  
"Lucky shot," Cracker grumbled.  
  
Brandon pointed at the three Masters. "These guys are really getting on my nerves." He charged his finger and fired a dark energy blast at them, only to have it hit a protective barrier.  
  
Psycho laughed. "My, my, Cardmistress. Forgot to tell your little friends about our protective programs?"  
  
Seething, Yue dove into the crater and grabbed Psycho by the neck. "Hmph," he said before tossing the clown out of the crater.  
  
Psycho landed in front of Sakura-tachi, and the other two Masters landed next to him. "What's his problem?" Cracker remarked.  
  
"Apparently your 'protective programs' are ineffective against physical attacks," Maya observed.  
  
Yue jumped out of the crater and stood over Psycho. Grimacing, he grabbed the clown by the throat and lifted him off the ground. "Now, I have a few questions for you, clown."  
  
"So do I." Syaoran walked up to Psycho, then pointed the tip of his sword at his chest. "Now tell me! Who sent you to kill Sakura? Why do you want Sakura's magical objects as well as ours?" Getting no response, he stabbed the clown. "Tell me!"  
  
Psycho looked at Syaoran. "Kid, it's hard to talk when the Winged Wonder's squeezing my neck."  
  
Yue answered by tightening his grip. "I suggest telling us all you know."  
  
"As do I," Syaoran said, glaring at the clown.  
  
"Syaoran really must care for you," Ready said to Sakura as the interrogation continued.  
  
"He does," Sakura said. "He's my number one. He was always there for me." She recalled the moment when Syaoran comforted her after Yukito told her he was not the one she truly loved.  
  
Ready sighed dreamily. "I wish I had someone like that."  
  
"Maybe you will someday," Sakura said with a smile.  
  
Listening in to the conversation, Brandon sighed and shook his head. The sound of movement brought him to a condition of red alert. "What the...?" he wondered as he scanned the area. His eyes rested on a pile of rubble, and he recalled previous events. "Oh boy..."  
  
"Data Slash!" The pile of rubble exploded, and something shot out and descended on Sakura-tachi.  
  
"Now what?" Bringing her fists out, Meiling got ready for another fight.  
  
Sporting some damage, Hacker landed next to the other Master Cybers. The "X" scar on his chest was his most prominent wound, followed by a broken shoulder guard, various cracks around his body, and a torn cape.  
  
"You took your sweet time," Cracker grumbled.  
  
"Yeah," Techno added, giggling weakly.  
  
Putting away his beam saber, Hacker studied the situation. "I see we have lost," he remarked dryly.  
  
"Lost? Hardly!" Cracker got to his feet slowly. "Once my repair systems are done doing their thing, I'm gonna stomp these stinking kids and their pets!"  
  
"Me, too!" Techno agreed, getting up as well.  
  
Kerberos growled. "I'd like to see you try," he said, baring his teeth.  
  
"That goes for all of us," Lupe joined in. Behind her, the other Guardians gathered, all ready for a fight.  
  
Laughing, Psycho shoved Yue aside and rejoined his fellow Masters. "My, aren't you all anxious to die."  
  
"Still talking tough without your big army?" Meiling said. "For your information, we outnumber you."  
  
"She does have a point, Psycho," Hacker said. "Despite the large number of Servers you had, these humans managed to defeat them as well as you."  
  
"At least I wasn't taken out of the fight early!" Psycho shot back.  
  
"This operation is a failure and a waste of resources," Hacker said. "It would've been simpler if we didn't have an army and conducted all-out warfare on the whole city."  
  
"Hey, it got Flower Girl here," Psycho said. "Nothing like endangering a few humans to get attention."  
  
"And it's a lot more fun, too," Techno added.  
  
"Besides, why should we care about these germs, anyway?" Cracker commented cruelly.  
  
Sakura gathered her courage before she addressed the Master Cybers. "Why are you like this? Why do you hate humans so much?"  
  
Psycho laughed. "Because it is according to the User's will. I'm sure he'd approve of everything we did here."  
  
"And who is this User?" Syaoran demanded hotly, showing his fist. "Why does he want magical objects?"  
  
"And where's Eriol?" Ready asked. "What did you do with him?"  
  
"Yes! What did you do to Eriol-kun?" Sakura added.  
  
"My, how inquisitive you all are."  
  
Sakura-tachi looked around. "Who said that?" Sakura asked.  
  
"I did." A white-robed figure appeared between the two opposing groups.  
  
"Great, another robot," Kerberos said.  
  
"Database," Hacker said, recognizing the new Cyber.  
  
Psycho glared at the white robot as he hovered towards him and the other Masters. "Finally decided to do field work like your fellow Masters, Database?"  
  
"Another Master?" Sakura said, gulping.  
  
Database faced Psycho. "I'm here on behalf of the User to see if you completed your mission." He turned to Sakura and eyed the Star Wand. "Apparently, you don't have them. My misgivings concerning you as the leader of this operation have proven to be correct."  
  
"Oh, please, Database," Psycho said with a wicked grin. "You can go tell the User we'll bring him the Sakura Cards and the Star Key after we waste these kids and their talking plushies."  
  
"You can tell the User yourself," Database stated.  
  
Psycho's eyes went wide. "What?"  
  
Techno gulped as he trembled along with Cracker. "You...you mean...?"  
  
"Exactly." Database gestured towards a spot in the sky behind him, and a purple light appeared there.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura exclaimed. Next to her, Tomoyo aimed her camcorder at the sky.  
  
As everyone watched, the light expanded into a Gateway. Two shapes flew out and headed towards the ground. When they got closer, they were revealed to be two large discs. Hovering before the Masters, the discs shot out spiral-shapes bodies followed by tiny feet. Long arms with grasping claws swung out from underneath the discs' sides, and cylinder heads emerged from the tops. Long staffs with cylinder tips appeared in their claws, and they stood at attention before the assembled humans, Guardians, and Cybers.  
  
"What are they doing?" Ruby Moon asked.  
  
"Apparently they're waiting for something," Spinel Sun answered.  
  
"Or someone," Umbriel said grimly.  
  
"The User," Yue said knowingly.  
  
Syaoran stared at the Gateway. "Sakura, can you feel it?"  
  
Sakura nodded. "Hai, Syaoran-kun, and it feels...stronger." She looked at the Master Cybers. "It feels stronger that what I'm sensing from them."  
  
Brandon looked at the Master Cybers. He noticed that while Database and Hacker were standing silently as they watched the Gateway, the other Masters were shaking and gulping. "Something's got these guys spooked," he remarked.  
  
"Can you blame them?" Ready said. "Their leader's coming for a visit, and I don't think he's going to be happy with them."  
  
Sakura almost jumped when a roar came from the Gateway. It was followed by a large winged creature flying towards the ground. As it got closer, everyone saw its three heads attached to long necks, claws, and bat-like wings.  
  
"It's a dragon," Maya said. "A robot dragon."  
  
"Sakura-chan, there's someone riding it," Tomoyo said.  
  
As the dragon descended closer, Sakura saw the creature's rider. The person's outline struck her as being familiar. She gasped as she made out a crown and cape. "The User," she whispered.  
  
The dragon landed behind the two guards sent ahead of it. Now Sakura could see more details of the beast. Its heads were connected to a purple body with a yellow belly and an egg-shaped design in its chest. From Sakura's left to right, the heads differed in shape and color. Colored blue, the first head resembled a bird, but with a beak horn, a head fin, sharp teeth, and yellow hair. The second head was of a robot dog and was colored red. The third head was gray and reptilian with a thin hornlike structure sticking out of its head and a cannon built into its nose. Roaring again, it lowered itself to allow its rider to dismount.  
  
*The feeling I'm getting from him is getting stronger,* Syaoran thought as he looked at the newcomer. *It's...it's...no! It can't be! It's impossible!* He remembered his mother's words. *She was right. Whoever this User is, he's an abomination! Something that shouldn't exist!*  
  
*I know this feeling,* Sakura wondered. *But how is it possible?*  
  
With the guards preceding him and the dragon following him, the newcomer approached the Masters, who immediately showed their respect. While Psycho and Database bowed their heads, the others genuflected. "All hail the User, the Emperor of the Cyber World, Kaizer Cyberon!" they said in unison as the figure stood before them.  
  
"Kaizer Cyberon?" Sakura stared at the person the Masters swore their allegiance to. He matched what she saw in her dream, but the daylight granted her more detail. She saw the armor he wore was dark purple with touches of red, and the three-pointed crown was part of a helmet with a mask that covered his eyes and nose. A red circle covered his real left eye and his right by a yellow triangular slit, and both shone brightly along with the two blue egg designs on his crown and chest. His cape sat atop two large shoulder guards, and his arms and legs were covered with black. The dark colors of his outfit made it easier to see the paleness of his lower face. After staring at him, Sakura realized what he was and gasped.  
  
"Sakura-chan, he's..." Tomoyo began to whisper.  
  
Sakura completed her friend's statement. "A kid. The User is a kid like us."  



	15. Chapter 14: Revealed! The Emperor of t...

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 14: Revealed! The Emperor of the Cyber World, Kaizer Cyberon  
  
Sakura could tell the figure standing before her was a kid. Despite the dark armor he wore, Kaizer Cyberon was only slightly taller than her.  
  
"That's the User?" Meiling said in disbelief.  
  
Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun nodded. "Yes. That's the same person who attacked us and Eriol," the Moon Guardian said.  
  
"But he's...just a kid," Meiling said, still staring at the Cyber leader.  
  
"Eh, take it from me," Brandon said. "Evil kids aren't exactly a big surprise these days."  
  
"Know this from experience, assassin?" Syaoran said snidely.  
  
His hand forming a fist, Brandon narrowed his eyes at the Chinese magician. "Greenbean, don't make me..."  
  
"Guys! Chill!" Ready warned the two boys. "We have bigger problems to deal with."  
  
"We do, indeed," Umbriel said, staring at the leader of the Cyber World.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon smiled coldly and looked over Sakura. "So, you're the Cardmistress," he said, his voice confirming his youth. "Hmph. Not exactly imposing in person, are you?"  
  
Kerberos leaped in front of Sakura and growled at the Cyber leader. "What's the big deal trying to take Sakura's magical objects and kill her?"  
  
Yue joined the Sun Guardian. "Why have you allowed this to happen?" he asked, gesturing to the destruction caused by the Cyber invasion.  
  
A low chuckle emanated from Kaizer Cyberon's lips. "Oh no, you two have it all wrong. I'm not responsible for all this. If you want to blame someone for all this death and destruction..." His eyes rested on Sakura.  
  
"What?" Syaoran shielded Sakura with his own body and pulled out his sword. "You're the one who caused all this!"  
  
"Oh, am I?" Kaizer Cyberon said wickedly. "My Cyber World wouldn't have done this if Miss Kinomoto had cooperated with us in the first place."  
  
"You mean just give up the Sakura Cards and Star Key to you?" Ruby Moon said dryly. "That's not our Sakura."  
  
"Yeah! Sakura never gives up!" Kerberos shouted in agreement.  
  
"Yes," Kaizer Cyberon said, slightly annoyed. "I admit I expected my Masters to carry out their orders and deliver the magical objects to me, but your perseverance allowed you to defeat them." His gaze shifted to his minions, and only Hacker and Database remained calm. "Care to explain this, Psycho?"  
  
Psycho spoke after a moment of trembling and mentally composing the right words. "We were ready for the Cardmistress, her Guardians, and maybe those two," he said, pointing to Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun. "But I didn't expect some of our other victims to come here."  
  
"It's true, Majesty. We didn't expect the Cardmistress to have reinforcements," Techno said, giggling nervously.  
  
"The quantity of our enemies is insignificant, and I won't bother dwelling on the poor quality of them," Kaizer Cyberon said. "You are Cybers! They are human!" He shifted his gaze back to Sakura-tachi. "How could you let these human children and their inferior magical constructs defeat you?"  
  
"'Inferior magical constructs'?" Kerberos looked like he was ready to leap at the Kaizer.  
  
"Kerberos-san, calm down," Sakura whispered. "We don't know who we're dealing with."  
  
"'Children'?" Brandon glared at Kaizer Cyberon. "Excuse me, look in the mirror lately? You're a kid like us."  
  
"Not to mention human," Ready added.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon's red eye intensified its glow. "I am not a kid," he declared in an icy tone. "As for being human, that is my only flaw."  
  
"Other than that, you're a far superior being than these worms, Majesty!" Psycho commented.  
  
"Spare me your bootlicking, Psycho," Kaizer Cyberon admonished his minion. "I despise failure, and you have failed me twice already."  
  
"If you wish not to be deleted by His Majesty on the spot, Psycho, I suggest you silence yourself," Database warned sternly.  
  
Psycho kept his mouth shut. Kaizer Cyberon returned his attention to Sakura. "Well, Cardmistress? Care to surrender your Cards and Key to me now?" he asked, holding out his open palm.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura said. With his sword out, Syaoran kept close to her.  
  
"Look around you, Miss Kinomoto," Kaizer Cyberon said, gesturing to the destruction surrounding everyone. "I can destroy this miserable city if I wish."  
  
"Yeah? With what army?" Brandon taunted the Cyber leader. "We destroyed all those tin cans you sent, and I doubt those goons of yours are up to full strength."  
  
Kaizer Cyberon smiled mysteriously. Suddenly, the egg symbol on his crown started to glow.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura stared at the strange glow. *That familiar feeling. It's growing stronger.*  
  
Syaoran stiffened. *It is the same as before! But it's stronger! How? How?*  
  
Ready looked around. "Uh, guys, is it just me, or is it starting to glow around us?"  
  
"It's not just you, Ready," Spinel Sun said, noticing the light emerging around them. "Everyone, protect the children!" he shouted to the Guardians.  
  
The Guardians formed a protective circle around their charges. The light intensified, and once it was gone, an army of Cybers surrounded Sakura-tachi.  
  
"Hooooooeeeeeeeee!" Sakura shrieked. Glaring at the new enemy, Syaoran stepped closer to her.  
  
"Hmmmmmmmm..." Tomoyo said as she recorded the sight.  
  
"It's the army we just defeated," Maya said.  
  
"But how...?" Kerberos began, his mouth wide-open.  
  
Yue looked at Kaizer Cyberon. "He did it!"  
  
Syaoran also shifted his focus to the Cyber leader. "But how can he? It isn't possible with the magic he's using!"  
  
Kaizer Cyberon laughed. "Surprised I can do this?" He looked at the trapped kids and Guardians. "Oh well, you've already gone through this, so I'll spare you a repeat performance." With a wave of his hand, he made the Cybers disappear.  
  
"Whew," Sakura said.  
  
"Where'd they come from?" Meiling wondered.  
  
"From here." Smiling evilly, Kaizer Cyberon pointed to his head.  
  
Syaoran's eyes focused on the Kaizer's helmet. "That must be the source of his power, Sakura," he whispered.  
  
"Un," Sakura nodded. "We have to destroy it."  
  
"So, how do we do it?" Ready asked.  
  
"Yeah, I don't think those guys are going to be nice enough to let us through," Brandon said, looking at the guards and the dragon.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon butted into the conversation. "Discussing strategy? Hmph." His arms crossed behind him, he shook his head. "It'll all be for nothing. My power far exceeds yours, so I recommend you surrender your magical objects to me now."  
  
"No!" Sakura shouted defiantly.  
  
Ruby Moon leaned over to Spinel Sun. "She's very brave, eh, Suppi-chan?"  
  
"On behalf of this Suppi-chan you keep mistaking me for, yes, she is," Spinel Sun said, slightly annoyed. "She must be careful, however. He may be a kid, but his power is incredible."  
  
"Still determined to oppose me?" Kaizer Cyberon said. "Do you want to cause more suffering, Cardmistress?" he asked, pointing to the destruction around them.  
  
"You won't get a chance, you wannabe emperor!" Brandon shouted. "We'll come over there and stomp your goons, then you."  
  
Amused, Kaizer Cyberon chuckled. "Well, you almost sound like Mr. Hiiragizawa when we first met."  
  
The mention of Eriol's last name changed the focus of the conversation. "Eriol-kun? What did you do to him?" Sakura demanded.  
  
"Yes, where is he?" Spinel Sun asked.  
  
Ruby Moon shook her fist at the Emperor of the Cyber World. "Give him back, or..."  
  
"Or what? You'll attack me and end up nearly being deleted like last time?" Kaizer Cyberon said, smirking as he shifted his focus to Sakura. "Mr. Hiiragizawa was the reincarnation of Clow Read, one of the world's most powerful magicians, and he barely survived our little skirmish. What makes you think you stand a chance against me, Miss Kinomoto?"  
  
Sakura stared down the Kaizer. "I'm Sakura, possessor of the invincible spell. Everything will be all right."  
  
"Hmmmmm..." Hacker studied the Cardmistress. *This human possesses a weak frame, yet she is willing to fight the User.* He cupped the bottom of his face. *This species continues to surprise me.*  
  
Psycho responded to Sakura's remarks with a laugh. "Oh, give it a rest! Just give us your Cards and Key, and we'll go away!"  
  
Syaoran glared at the Kaizer. "Why do you want them?"  
  
Kaizer Cyberon returned the glare. "That is my business, Mr. Li, and I insist you do not interfere with it."  
  
"Where's Eriol?" Ready asked, remembering Kaho.  
  
Brandon joined in. "Even though he put us through hell during our stay, he'd better be okay, or..."  
  
"Enough of this idle banter!" Kaizer Cyberon said. He looked to his Master Cybers. "It's time I took care of these brats myself." He extended his open hand at them.  
  
Hacker bowed his head. "We accept any punishment you have in mind for us, Majesty."  
  
"Speak for yourself, Hacker!" Psycho clasped his hands together and hovered before his leader. "Please, Majesty! We promise never to fail you again! Just don't delete us!"  
  
"Yeah, Majesty!" Cracker said, joining in. "We'll bring you other magical objects!"  
  
"And another one of...!" Techno began to plead.  
  
"Silence!" Kaizer Cyberon said, annoyed. He waved his hand, and the Gateway in the sky opened to an enormous size. "You four return and get yourselves fully repaired."  
  
Realizing he was still functioning, Psycho threw himself at his leader's feet. "Oh, thank you, Majesty! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You won't regret this!"  
  
The Kaizer's red eye glowed. "For your sake, you'd better hope I don't. Now get out of my sight before I carry out your assumed action."  
  
"At once, Majesty!" The evil clown flew upward and went through the Gateway. Cracker and Techno were not too far behind.  
  
Hacker levitated towards the Gateway, but paused before entering. Looking down at Sakura-tachi, he made a brief bow. The gesture was noticed by Sakura-tachi, but not Kaizer Cyberon, who kept his eye on his enemies.  
  
"Sarabada, Hacker-san," Sakura whispered. Syaoran nodded silently in response to the bow.  
  
Hacker followed his fellow Masters into the Gateway and was gone. However, the Gateway remained.  
  
"I do not like the looks of this," Yue said, gazing upon the large Gateway.  
  
"At least those guys are gone," Kerberos remarked.  
  
"Unfortunately, they are our main concern now," Umbriel said, facing Kaizer Cyberon and his small entourage.  
  
"We can take them!" Lupe said excitedly. "Right, Kerberos?"  
  
"Yeah! Those guys don't look so tough," Kerberos said, grinning.  
  
"Isn't he wonderful?" Lupe said to Pegasus Uni, who groaned in response.  
  
"Good grief," O.G. grumbled, covering his forehead with his paw.  
  
"Now that they're gone, I still want your magical objects, Cardmistress," Kaizer Cyberon demanded again.  
  
"Never!" Sakura shouted in response. "I won't let you use them for evil!"  
  
"And I won't let you get near her!" Syaoran shouted to the Emperor of the Cyber World.  
  
"Neither will we!" the others chimed in.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon crossed his arms across his chest. "So be it." He raised one arm and made a waving motion. "Algol!"  
  
A large shadow appeared inside the Gateway. "Hoe?" Sakura wondered.  
  
"What?" Syaoran exclaimed.  
  
Brandon watched with the others as the shadow moved closer. "Okay, I'm getting bad vibes from this."  
  
The object in the Gateway crossed through. It resembled a statue, but it was about one-third the size of a typical skyscraper. A rectangular head with headlight-like eyes sat on top of a cylinder body with stubby arms at its sides and two pegs poking out from its bottom. A large circle stood out on its chest.  
  
Tomoyo captured the image on tape. "Oh my, it's..."  
  
"Another Cyber," Maya finished.  
  
"And it's bigger than the others we fought," Meiling said.  
  
"A lot bigger," Ready elaborated.  
  
"Hey, you know the old saying," O.G. said.  
  
"I do!" Ruby Moon said.  
  
"Yeah, this thing doesn't scare me!" Kerberos said, baring his teeth.  
  
"Me neither!" Lupe said, copying Kerberos' stance.  
  
"Hmmmmmmm..." Yue, Spinel Sun, Umbriel, and Pegasus Uni said at the same time as they took in the giant robot.  
  
With the Gateway closing behind it, the large Cyber hovered above the ground. "Syaoran-kun..." Sakura said, looking into Syaoran's eyes.  
  
"Don't worry, Sakura. We'll destroy it." Syaoran studied the large, statue-like Cyber. "Whatever it is."  
  
Kaizer Cyberon laughed. "Cardmistress, behold Tokyo's appointed destroyer, Algol!" he declared, sweeping his arm in the Cyber's direction. Hearing its name, Algol's eyes flashed briefly.  
  
"Hooooooeeeeee..." Sakura said worriedly with Syaoran at her side as they looked upon their latest foe.  



	16. Chapter 15: Unpleasant Surprises

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 15: Unpleasant Surprises  
  
Along with the others, Brandon gazed upon the gigantic Cyber known as Algol as it hovered near them. "Okay, anybody here know how we're supposed to destroy that thing?" he asked.  
  
"Hey, no sweat, boss!" O.G. declared, cracking his knuckles. "A few shots from my cannons..."  
  
"Would just equate to a few bug bites to that thing," Syaoran said sternly. "The same goes for the other Guardians."  
  
"It's just a floating statue!" Kerberos growled.  
  
"A very massive floating statue," Maya pointed out. "Syaoran's right. Any attack we'll make will barely make a scratch on it."  
  
"Can't you do something?" Meiling asked the Ecomancer. "After all, you can control the elements. Just trap it inside a tornado and hurl it somewhere."  
  
Maya looked thoughfully at Algol. "It'll take a lot out of me if I do that," she admitted. "Besides..." she added, glancing at Kaizer Cyberon and his entourage.  
  
"Oh yeah. Him," Brandon said, snorting.  
  
Sakura kept her eye on Algol as it continued its silent vigil. "What is it waiting for?"  
  
Tomoyo kept her camcorder focused on Algol. "I think it's waiting for instructions."  
  
Syaoran shifted gazes to Kaizer Cyberon. "We have to attack now!" he told the others.  
  
Sakura nodded, then got ready to use a Sakura Card. Before she could use it, Syaoran grabbed her arm. "Syaoran-kun?" she said, startled.  
  
"You need to rest," Syaoran said sternly, yet looking at her with concern in his eyes. "You used a lot of magic today," he added in a gentle tone.  
  
"Hey, so did we, Greenbean!" Brandon shouted.  
  
With a vein popping out of his head, Syaoran faced the Shadowwalker. "Sakura's been through a lot today! She needs to rest!"  
  
"Hey, we all need to rest!" Brandon shouted back. "Unfortunately, with the Jolly Metal Statue floating up there, we can't take a break."  
  
"Why I ought to..." Syaoran snarled as he began to advance on Brandon. Meiling stepped in and grabbed her cousin from behind. "Let go of me!"  
  
"He has a point!" Meiling shouted as she held the struggling Syaoran. "We have to focus on the main problem now!"  
  
"I have to agree with him, Syaoran-kun," Sakura said, joining the Chinese magician at his side.  
  
"Nani?" Syaoran broke out of Meiling's grip. "Sakura..."  
  
"I have to use my magic in order to save everyone here," Sakura told him calmly. Her mouth formed a big smile. "Besides, Kero-chan said my magic is getting stronger."  
  
"But, Sakura..." Syaoran began.  
  
Sakura took Syaoran's hand and held it between hers. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." She smiled. "Also, you're here with me along with the others. As long as we don't give up, everything will be fine."  
  
"Sakura..." Syaoran said softly, gazing into her green eyes.  
  
Tomoyo turned her camcorder onto the romantic scene. "Sakura-chan is so kawaii with Li-kun," she whispered.  
  
Brandon groaned. "Someone get me a barf bag."  
  
Ready answered that comment with an ear tug. "What'd you say?" she demanded, increasing her pull. Brandon winced under the pain.  
  
From his spot, Kaizer Cyberon watched Sakura-tachi during the argument with an amused smile crossing his chalk-colored face. After Sakura talked with Syaoran, however, the smile changed into a grimace. "Enjoying the interaction between the humans, Majesty?" Database inquired.  
  
"In more ways than one before that disgusting display of affection," Kaizer Cyberon answered coldly.  
  
Database glanced at Sakura and Syaoran. "Yes, they are a disgusting breed."  
  
"Indeed." Kaizer Cyberon looked at Algol. "Ah well, it's time to begin."  
  
"As you wish, Majesty," Database said with a bow.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon returned his gaze onto Sakura-tachi. "Care to give up your Cards and Key now, Cardmistress?" he asked, stretching out his open palm.  
  
With Syaoran at her side, Sakura glared at the Emperor of the Cyber World. "No!" she cried.  
  
"Hmmmmmmmm. Such determination should be rewarded." The cold smile crossed Kaizer Cyberon's face again. "Algol, initiate primary program."  
  
Algol's eyes lit up again. Everyone watched as its head moved slowly from left to right.  
  
"What's it doing?" Meiling wondered.  
  
Maya had a good guess. "Oh dear..."  
  
Just as the head was turning back to its right, it stopped moving. Then, Algol's enormous eyes started to glow.  
  
"It's charging up for something," Umbriel concluded.  
  
"For what?" Ruby Moon asked before realizing what was going to happen next. "Oh no. Could he...?"  
  
Spinel Sun nodded solemnly. "I wouldn't put it past him."  
  
"What's going to happen?" Sakura asked everyone.  
  
Syaoran glared at the Kaizer. "You can't!" he yelled.  
  
The Emperor of the Cyber World responded with a cold smile. "Watch me."  
  
After a few minutes, the eyes were fully filled with light. Immediately, two energy beams flew out of Algol's eyes and headed towards their target. Turning around, Sakura-tachi witnessed a faint light from where the beams hit. Before, there were skyscrapers. After the light faded away, nothing was left.  
  
Brandon blinked. "Did I just see everything over there get vaporized?"  
  
"Uh, yeah, boss," O.G. answered.  
  
"Care to see for yourselves?" Kaizer Cyberon asked, waving his hand. A Window appeared before Sakura-tachi, showing the effects of Algol's beams. Nothing was left of the sector the giant Cyber fired upon. Buildings, vehicles, streets...all were gone. "And Algol wasn't even at full power," the Kaizer added.  
  
Sakura-tachi took in the horror of the situation. "No," Sakura whispered. "No..."  
  
"Sakura..." Syaoran took the Cardmistress into her arms and held her tightly. She leaned against his shoulder and started to cry.  
  
The Window vanished. "Everything's...gone," Ready said softly. Behind her, Brandon placed a hand on her shoulder.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon smiled cruelly. "Shows what you know."  
  
Kerberos growled at the Cyber leader. "How could you do that? Those people..."  
  
"What people?" Kaizer Cyberon turned to Database. "Do you recall any people in there?"  
  
"I can't say I do, Majesty," Database answered.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Yue asked.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon shook his head and wagged his finger. "Algol was programmed to attack an uninhabited area first. After all, this was only a demonstration." His mouth formed a wicked grin. "Of course, nothing can be one-hundred percent accurate..."  
  
With tears streaking down her face, Sakura faced the Kaizer. "Why are you doing this?"  
  
"To prove to you the superior power of my Cyber World," Kaizer Cyberon answered. "Your Star Magic is no match for my magic, so I suggest you surrender your magical objects to me. They will benefit me and my Cyber World more than you."  
  
Sakura gripped her Star Wand tightly. "B-b-but..."  
  
"Still being defiant?" Kaizer Cyberon motioned to Algol. "I guarantee you that when Algol fires its ultimate weapon again, it'll destroy an inhabited section." He crossed his arms over his chest. "In fact, it'll keep destroying parts of this city until you give me what I want."  
  
"Hmmmmm..." Tomoyo studied the giant robot. "That weapon must take a while to charge up."  
  
"Of course!" Maya exclaimed, snapping her fingers. "That means it'll have to rest before it fires again."  
  
"So we can attack it while it powers up," Kerberos said excitedly. Spreading his wings, the Sun Guardian took to the air.  
  
"Kerberos-san!" Sakura cried.  
  
Ruby Moon laughed. "Let's go!" she cried as she took off after Kerberos.  
  
"Wait! We need a plan!" Spinel Sun yelled to the charging Guardians.  
  
"We cannot possibly destroy something that large," Yue added.  
  
"We don't have to destroy it completely!" Ruby Moon shouted back.  
  
"We can just destroy its eyes!" Kerberos said as he continued his flight towards Algol's head.  
  
Below, Kaizer Cyberon and Database watched the two Guardians fly towards Algol. "Hmmmm, the Guardians seem to have figured out what to do about Algol, Majesty," Database said.  
  
"Just as I anticipated," Kaizer Cyberon said. "They're in for an...unpleasant surprise." Behind him, the three-headed dragon roared. "Patience, my pet. Your chance is coming up."  
  
"Be careful, Kerberos-san, Ruby-san!" Sakura shouted.  
  
Flying at amazing speeds, Kerberos and Ruby Moon reached Algol's head. "Here we are," Ruby Moon declared.  
  
"Yep," Kerberos said with a grin as he studied the huge headlight-like eyes. "Danged things are easy targets." He turned to Ruby Moon. "Shall we?"  
  
"Let's," Ruby Moon said, grinning back. She took aim and fired a crystal blast at the left eye while Kerberos fired on the right.  
  
Below, everyone watched as an energy field appeared around Algol. Kerberos and Ruby Moon watched as their shots were blocked by the field.  
  
"Nani?" Kerberos exclaimed.  
  
"An energy barrier?" Ruby Moon said, surprised.  
  
Spinel Sun frowned. "I knew it was too good to be true."  
  
"I think we need some help up here!" Ruby Moon shouted downward.  
  
"We are on our way," Yue said. "Mistress?" he asked Sakura.  
  
The Cardmistress nodded. "Please help them."  
  
"We will, Mistress," Yue said. He and Spinel Sun took to the air and flew towards their fellow Guardians.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon watched the two Guardians. "Cyberus, intercept," he commanded.  
  
The dragon roared and took off. Igniting the jet pack on his back, Cyberus flew past Yue and Spinel Sun.  
  
"Nani?" Spinel Sun exclaimed upon laying eyes upon the robot dragon.  
  
"River of Sorrow!" the reptilian head cried, firing an energy beam from its nose cannon.  
  
Yue and Spinel Sun dodged the blast and counterattacked with their own. Cyberus moved out of the way, then made his move.  
  
"Blizzard of Blight!" the bird head said, firing ice crystals from its mouth.  
  
"Fire of Rage!" the dog head said, spitting fire from its mouth.  
  
"Thunder of Doom!" the reptilian head said, firing a thunderbolt from its horn.  
  
The three attacks rained down on their targets. Although the Thunder of Doom missed, the Fire of Rage struck Yue while the Blizzard of Blight hit Spinel Sun, encasing him in a block of ice. Both Guardians fell towards the ground at an ever-increasing speed.  
  
"Yue-san! Spinel-san!" Sakura cried.  
  
"Kerberos!" Ruby Moon shouted, pointing to their falling comrades. She dove towards them, and Kerberos followed her.  
  
Cyberus turned to the approaching Guardians and roared. "Wind of Despair!" all three heads said. His wings flapped rapidly and launched a tornado at them. Ruby Moon flew upward to avoid the attack, but poor Kerberos flew straight into it. Caught, the golden Sun Guardian spun around within the vortex.  
  
"Kerberos!" Ruby Moon shouted.  
  
Cyberus quickly charged the Moon Guardian and grabbed her with his claws. "Prepare to die, Guardian," all three heads declared as he tightened his grip on the struggling Ruby Moon. The bird head aimed for Kerberos. "Blizzard of Blight!" it said, freezing the Sun Guardian.  
  
Now encased in ice, Kerberos plummetted to the ground. Still struggling in Cyberus' grip, Ruby Moon watched the frozen Sun Guardian fall. "No!" she shouted.  
  
Yue and Spinel Sun were now close enough for the others to make out. "Incoming!" Brandon yelled. Without any hesistation, O.G. ran over to where he thought Spinel Sun was going to land and held out his arms.  
  
Umbriel spotted Yue and leaped towards him. He caught the unconscious Moon Guardian and landed on his feet. He laid him before Sakura.  
  
"Yue-san!" Sakura knelt besides her Moon Guardian.  
  
Thankfully, O.G. caught the block of ice containing Spinel Sun. "Hang in there, Suppi," he said as he lowered the frozen Sun Guardian gently onto the ground.  
  
Lupe gasped as she spotted another block of ice falling to the ground. "Kerberos!" she said, recognizing its occupant.  
  
"Kero-chan!" Sakura cried.  
  
O.G. ran towards the probable landing point. "Oh man," he grumbled as he got ready to catch Kerberos. Fortunately, the Sun Guardian landed safely in his arms, and he placed him next to Spinel Sun.  
  
"Kerberos!" Lupe bounded towards the frozen Sun Guardians. She looked sadly at the winged lion, then glared at O.G. "If you dropped him, I'd be kicking your spiked butt all over the place right now."  
  
O.G. grinned. "Hey, you'd better defrost them."  
  
"Right." Lupe started to breathe fire on both Sun Guardians. She kept her flame at a slow speed to make sure she did not accidentally melt them altogether.  
  
Near Algol, Ruby Moon continued to struggled with Cyberus. "Submit to the inevitable!" the three-headed dragon growled as his claws dug deeper into the trapped Moon Guardian. Ruby Moon did her best to hold in her screams. However, the pressure proved too much, and her lips opened and released a powerful cry of pain.  
  
"Ruby Moon!" Ready gasped as she heard the Moon Guardian. She leapt onto Pegasus Uni.  
  
"Ready, what...?" Pegasus Uni started to say.  
  
"We've got to get up there and help her!" Ready pleaded.  
  
Umbriel approached the young Starlighter. "Mistress..."  
  
Ready heard Ruby Moon scream again. "Uni..."  
  
Pegasus Uni spread her wings. "Hang on!" she said. With her mistress on board, the winged unicorn took off and flew towards the two combatants.  
  
"O.G.!" Brandon called.  
  
"Gotcha, boss!" The large bear quickly withdrew into his shell.  
  
The young Shadowwalker leapt onto his Guardian. "Come on, O.G.! Mr. Mom needs our help."  
  
"Here we go!" O.G. lifted off the ground and flew after Ready and Pegasus Uni.  
  
"Be careful!" Sakura called out after them.  
  
Cyberus hissed at his captured prey. "Any last words before you are deleted from this experience?" he asked the Moon Guardian.  
  
"Get away from her! Illumination!"  
  
A sudden flash of light burst out in front of Cyberus. "What?" the dragon exclaimed. Blinded, all three heads bent away from the light.  
  
Feeling Cyberus' grip weakening, Ruby Moon broke out of his grasp and kicked him in the chest. As the dragon staggered back, the Moon Guardian backed away in time to avoid being blasted by two missiles. The explosion threw Cyberus back.  
  
Once the light faded, Ruby Moon saw her rescuers. "Ready! Brandon!"  
  
With their young charges, the two Guardians flew up to the Moon Guardian. "Are you okay?" Ready asked.  
  
"Hey, don't worry about me," Ruby Moon replied with a small grin. "It'll take more than an overgrown toaster oven with wings to beat me."  
  
"River of Sorrow!"  
  
An energy beam struck Ruby Moon in the chest and threw her back. O.G. flew forward and Brandon caught the Moon Guardian. "Oh, great," the Shadowwalker muttered when he spotted the recovered Cyberus hovering before him.  
  
"Now we shall see what this 'overgrown toaster oven' can do." All of Cyberus' heads roared. "Thunder of Doom!"  
  
Pegasus Uni flew around the incoming thunderbolt and counterattacked with a shot from her horn as Ready fired her Staff. Getting back on her feet, Ruby Moon joined in with a crystal shot along with Brandon's Rod blasts and O.G.'s missiles. The attacks hit the three-headed dragon, but with little effect.  
  
"Guys, we're not making any progress here!" Brandon shouted.  
  
Cyberus chuckled at the ineffective offensive. "Ah, my turn again. Blizzard of Blight!" The bird head fired a freeze blast, which the kids and Guardians dodged in time.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon observed everything from the ground. "I wonder how long they'll last?" he asked, amused.  
  
"I calculate not very long, Majesty," Database stated as Cyberus' opposition barely dodged a Fire of Rage attack.  
  
*No...* Rising from her place near the slowly awakening Yue, Sakura searched her deck of Sakura Cards. Looking down at it, she picked out one of her most useful Cards.  
  
Syaoran saw what card Sakura picked. "Matte!" he cried. "Sakura, you can't...!"  
  
"They need my help, Syaoran-kun." Sakura tossed the Card in front of her. "Fly!" she said as she released its magic with her Star Wand.  
  
Groaning, Yue watched as large bird wings emerged from the Cardmistress' back. "Mistress..." he whispered.  
  
Sakura looked at Syaoran. "Please protect Tomoyo-chan and the others," she said softly. Spreading her wings, she took off towards Algol.  
  
Syaoran watched as Sakura flew away from him and towards the battle in the sky. "Sakura..." he said in a barely audible voice. After replacing her tape, Tomoyo aimed her camcorder at her best friend.  
  
Yue got up slowly while ignoring the pain caused by the previous attack from Cyberus. Umbriel joined the Moon Guardian. "You must rest," the Darkling said solemnly.  
  
"But my mistress..." Yue began.  
  
"We must be ready just in case," Umbriel said, eyeing Kaizer Cyberon, Database, and the guards.  
  
Seeing the Emperor of the Cyber World and his minions, Yue nodded in agreement, then turned his attention to Lupe, who was almost done defrosting the two Sun Guardians. Most of their icy prisons laid at their feet in the form of puddles.  
  
"Majesty..." Database began, spotting the Cardmistress in flight.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon focused his red eye on Sakura. "Excellent," he said with an evil grin.  
  
Meanwhile, Ready, Brandon, their Guardians, and Ruby Moon continued to fight Cyberus. Despite their best efforts, the three-headed dragon continued to unleash his attacks at them.  
  
"River of Sorrow!"  
  
"Blizzard of Blight!"  
  
"Wind of Despair!"  
  
"Fire of Rage!"  
  
"Thunder of Doom!"  
  
With their masters hanging on and firing back, Pegasus Uni and O.G. zigzagged past the dragon's attacks along with Ruby Moon and counterattacked. Cyberus roared and dodged before performing all his five attacks again.  
  
"Persistent hunk of junk, isn't he?" Ruby Moon quipped as she missed with a crystal shot.  
  
"He's just like the Energizer Bunny," Brandon remarked as he and O.G. missed with their shots and barely dodging Cyberus' counterattack. "Very, very annoying."  
  
"Not to mention incredibly fast," Ready added, trying to draw a bead on the three-headed dragon. She unleashed a blast of light energy, but the shot passed over him.  
  
"Save your energy, Ready," Pegasus Uni advised. "Let us Guardians handle this."  
  
"Yeah. You kids did a lot today," Ruby Moon commented. "Take a break while we take care of him."  
  
Stopping in midflight, Cyberus hovered before his enemies. "That was the best you can do?" he taunted cruelly. "Pathetic. Disposing of you will be easy for me."  
  
"Wanna bet?" O.G. unloaded a barrage of missiles at the dragon. The attack made contact, and explosions surrounded him. Pegasus Uni and Ruby Moon joined in with their own attacks.  
  
"Did we get him?" O.G. asked as he and the others looked forward at the resulting smoke cloud.  
  
A loud roar answered that question. "Wind of Despair!" Cyberus said, sending a tornado at his enemies.  
  
"Oh..." Brandon was cut off as the tornado engulfed him and the others. Ducking down on O.G., he hung on tightly to a pair of spikes.  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaa!" Ready clung tightly to Pegasus Uni's back as they were spun around rapidly in the vortex.  
  
Cyberus chuckled malevolently at the sight of his trapped enemies. "Time to finish this," he said, the tip of his reptilian head starting to glow. "River of...!"  
  
"Save my friends and trap that monster in ice! Freeze!"  
  
Before he could attack, Cyberus found himself being encased in ice by an extremely cold wind from below. Roaring in frustration, the dragon Cyber became an ice statue.  
  
At the same time, the tornado faded away. Now free, Ruby Moon charged the three-headed dragon and knocked him aside into a nearby building. The helpless Cyberus crashed into one of the upper stories.  
  
Ready and Brandon hung on tightly to their Guardians. "Okay..." the Shadowwalker said dizzily.  
  
"Sakura!" Ready said gladly upon seeing their savior appear before them.  
  
Sakura flew up to her fellow magicians. "Daijobu?" she asked with concern.  
  
"A little woozy, but overall, we're fine," Ready reported.  
  
"Oh my," Database stated, having witnessed the events in the sky.  
  
"Another variable spoiled your calculations?" Kaizer Cyberon said dryly.  
  
"If the Cardmistress hadn't shown up, I assure you, Majesty..." Database began to explain.  
  
"Spare me your explanations." Kaizer Cyberon silenced him with a raised hand. "Let's see how she'll react to what she'll discover about Algol."  
  
Ruby Moon eyed Algol. "Now that we've taken care of that winged lapdog, let's stop this thing from destroying Tokyo."  
  
"Un," Sakura said with a nod.  
  
"We'd better hurry," Brandon recommended, glancing at the spot where Cyberus landed. "Something tells me that if Puff the Three-Headed Dragon is anything like Psycho in Tomoyo's video, he'll be back with all three heads on the warpath."  
  
"Uh, boss, I hate to break it to you, but two Guardians couldn't break through that barrier," O.G. reminded his master.  
  
"Well, we've got three Guardians and three magicians, one of them being the most powerful magician in the world," Ready said confidently, looking at Sakura.  
  
"Um, I'm not really that powerful," Sakura said modestly, blushing a little.  
  
"With you helping us, Sakura-chan, we'll break through that barrier and destroy this floating junk pile," Ruby Moon said confidently.  
  
"First we have to get rid of the barrier," Pegasus Uni reminded the Moon Guardian.  
  
Brandon turned to Sakura. "You wouldn't have a barrier-busting card on you, by any chance?"  
  
"As a matter of fact..." Smiling cheerfully, Sakura pulled out the Sword Card and showed it to the others. "Help me cut through this barrier! Sword!" she cried as she struck the Card with her Wand.  
  
Now armed with her sword, Sakura faced the giant Cyber. Below, Tomoyo focused her camcorder on her best friend. "Oh, I wish I could zoom in more so I can capture Sakura-chan in all her cuteness and bravery from a great distance," she lamented.  
  
After studying Algol, Sakura raised her blade. She was about to strike when she felt something familiar. "Hoe? That feeling..." She flew downward towards Algol's chest.  
  
"Huh?" Brandon and O.G. said.  
  
"Come on!" Ready urged the others. She and Pegasus Uni went after Sakura. Brandon and Ruby Moon exchanged a puzzled look, shrugged, and followed their friends.  
  
Sakura stopped in front of the circle located in the center of Algol's chest area. *It's stronger here.* Staring ahead, she found what was causing the feeling and gasped at the sight before her.  
  
Ready and Pegasus Uni appeared besides the Cardmistress. "Sakura, what's wrong?" the Starlighter asked. When her eyes perceived at what was located in Algol's chest. "Oh my God..."  
  
O.G. and Ruby Moon flew towards the others. "Hey! What's going on?" Brandon demanded. "We've got a robot to destroy, and I don't think our friend with the three heads is down for the count. So what in the name of...?"  
  
"Uh, boss," O.G. interjected, pointing at Algol. "I think you'd better look at this."  
  
Ruby Moon's eyes widened. "No..." she said softly.  
  
All of them hovered before a transparent capsule built into Algol's chest. Inside, a figure dressed in a dark blue wizard's robe and large-brimmed hat stood silently. Bound by a set of cables, he seemed unconscious. His head leaned against the back of the capsule, revealing the bespectacled face topped with dark hair.  
  
"Eriol-kun," Sakura whispered. 


	17. Chapter 16: Trapped in a Paradox

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 16: Trapped in a Paradox  
  
As Sakura, Ruby Moon, and the others stared at the sight before them, their friends below watched them. "Why have they stopped?" Yue wondered.  
  
"Why aren't they attacking?" Meiling asked.  
  
*Sakura, what's happening?* Syaoran thought.  
  
"Curious?" Kaizer Cyberon said. "Let me provide you with a better view." With a wave of his hand, he made a Window appear before the assembled humans and Guardians. The first image was of Sakura and the others still staring silently at Algol. Then the image changed to that of the missing magician, Hiiragizawa Eriol, a.k.a. the reincarnation of Clow Read.  
  
Silence gripped the group. Tomoyo was the first to break it. "Hiiragizawa-kun," she whispered.  
  
"Eriol," Maya said as she recognized her mentor.  
  
Finished with her task of defrosting the two Sun Guardians, Lupe tried to take in the sight of the young man who took in her mistress and her friends for magic training. "Eriol..."  
  
Grumbling, Kerberos slowly got to his feet. He shook off the water in his fur. "What...happened?" he asked.  
  
Lupe turned to the golden Sun Guardian. "Kerberos!" she cried. "You're okay!"  
  
Kerberos winced. "A little lower, will ya?" he requested.  
  
"Er, sorry," Lupe apologized, blushing a little. Her mood quickly shifted from joy to seriousness. "We have a problem," she informed Kerberos, pointing towards the Window.  
  
Kerberos' golden eyes widened at shock at the sight of the unconscious Eriol. "Nani?"  
  
Spinel Sun shook out his wet fur and joined Kerberos and Lupe. "What's going...?" he started to ask before seeing Eriol.  
  
Back in the sky, Ready looked over the unconscious figure in the tube. "Eriol?" she asked, getting no response.  
  
O.G. flew closer to Pegasus Uni. "Is he...?" Brandon began.  
  
"I can't tell," Ready answered. "He's just...lying there."  
  
"I'll get him out!" Ruby Moon declared. "Everyone get back!" As the others obeyed her, the Moon Guardian charged up both fists and unleashed a barrage of crystals at Algol. The barrier activated and flashed as it took the blows.  
  
"Nothing's happening!" Brandon shouted.  
  
"Uni, help her out!" Ready ordered her Guardian.  
  
Pegasus Uni's horn glowed and fired a beam at the spot Ruby Moon was hitting. The barrier flashed more, but showed no signs of damage.  
  
"More power, Uni!" Ready commanded.  
  
"I'm giving it all I've got, Ready!" the winged unicorn said, straining to give it her all.  
  
"I'll help out!" Ready aimed her Staff at the barrier. "Starbolt!" she cried, joining her blast with the others' attacks.  
  
Charging up his finger, Brandon pointed it at the spot the others were focused on. "Touch of Darkness!" he cried, firing a dark energy beam.  
  
As the combined attack continued to strike the barrier, Sakura carefully flew in to examine the situation from the side. *Nothing's happening!* she thought, panicking. Her eyes shifted to Eriol. "Wait, Eriol-kun's moving!" she said, seeing some movement from the captive magician.  
  
Everyone on the ground watched the rescue effort via the Window. "He's still alive," Spinel Sun observed with relief.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon sneered. "Not for long."  
  
His eyes still closed, Eriol slowly raised his head. "Don't worry, Eriol-kun! We'll get you out!" Sakura shouted over the noise of energy crashing into energy.  
  
Ruby Moon studied the barrier carefully and saw it slowly fading. "Hey, it's weakening! Keep it up!" she shouted encouragingly. Ready, Brandon, and Pegasus Uni responded by increasing their efforts.  
  
Sakura noticed the cracks forming in the barrier. "Keep it up, minna! Ganbatte!" she cheered.  
  
"Hey, they're actually doing it," Kerberos said.  
  
"Hmmmmmm..." Umbriel watched his mistress and the others continue to blast the barrier. "Something is wrong."  
  
"I don't think so," Kerberos disagreed. "If they keep it up, Eriol will be free, and we can destroy that floating statue."  
  
Sakura was filled with joy as the barrier continued to buckle under the combined energy attack. "Don't worry, Eriol-kun! You're almost free now!"  
  
"Quickly, Sakura!" Ruby Moon shouted over the noise. "Use your sword on the place we weakened!"  
  
"Un," Sakura said with a nod. Raising her sword, she prepared to strike a powerful blow. Then, she froze.  
  
"Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo said, puzzled as she saw her friend stop.  
  
"Nani?" Kerberos said as the spectacle played out on the Window. "Now what's she doing?"  
  
"Look at Eriol!" Yue shouted, pointing to him.  
  
Sakura looked on as Eriol's mouth opened and released a loud scream that crept out through the cracks in the barrier. "Eriol-kun!" the Cardmistress shouted.  
  
The scream reached the ears of the others. "What's going on?" Ruby Moon asked Sakura.  
  
"Hey, hit that thing now, or we'll never get him out!" Brandon shouted to Sakura, trying his best to ignore Eriol's screaming.  
  
Sakura watched as Eriol continued to scream in pain and shake violently in his bonds. "Minna, stop firing!" she shouted.  
  
"But, Sakura..." Ruby Moon began.  
  
"Do it!" Ready shouted, seeing Eriol in pain.  
  
The attack ceased, and the barrier became intact again. Eriol's mouth ceased to scream, and everyone above and on the ground watched as he slumped into unconsciousness again. His head bowed, and his arms went slack at his sides.  
  
"Okay, would someone please explain to me what's going on?" Brandon asked.  
  
"If you insist," the voice of Kaizer Cyberon sounded around them. A Window bearing the Emperor of the Cyber World's face appeared besides Algol.  
  
Seeing her master still trapped on Algol, Ruby Moon rushed the giant Cyber and started punching rapidly. "Eriol!" she screamed as her punches bounced off the barrier.  
  
"Ruby-san, please stop!" Sakura cried. "You're hurting him!"  
  
Ruby Moon saw her master's hand twitch involuntarily. Stopping, the Moon Guardian turned her fury towards the Kaizer. "What have you done to him?" she demanded.  
  
On the ground, Kaizer Cyberon laughed cruelly. "You mean you haven't figured it out? Come now, you Guardians have some spark of intelligence, don't you?"  
  
"What have you done to Eriol-kun?" Sakura asked, looking into the eyes of the Kaizer.  
  
"I've simply linked his fate to the fate of Algol's barrier," Kaizer Cyberon explained to both his audiences.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Kerberos yelled.  
  
"It's quite simple, really," Kaizer Cyberon said. "Mr. Hiiragizawa is now linked to the energy barrier that protects Algol from attack." His mouth formed a malevolent grin as he continued his explanation. "If you attack the barrier, he feels the equivalent of the force being used on it."  
  
"Wait a sec here," Brandon said. "You mean if we blast the barrier, Eriol gets hurt?"  
  
"Not only that, but if the barrier were to be destroyed..." Kaizer Cyberon paused and waited for a response.  
  
Sakura did not disappoint him. "Then Eriol-kun would..." She stopped herself from mentioning the word "die," but the image played in her mind.  
  
"Then you would have added another dead body to the ones you've already accumulated," Kaizer Cyberon said.  
  
Syaoran seethed at the Kaizer's words. "How dare you keep blaming Sakura for all this!" he yelled.  
  
Yue stepped up from behind. "I recommend restraint," he advised the Chinese magician.  
  
Sakura stared into the Kaizer's eyes. "Why did you do this to Eriol-kun?" she demanded.  
  
The Kaizer grinned wickedly. "Well, I had to find something for him to do after he failed to give me the information I needed."  
  
"What information?" Ruby Moon asked angrily.  
  
"That is none of your business," Kaizer Cyberon replied. "However, I will admit I was amazed at Mr. Hiiragizawa's high stamina. Despite all the torture my interrogator administered to him, he held on." The Kaizer looked thoughtful for a moment. "Of course, he did scream occasionally."  
  
Sakura looked at the unconscious magician trapped in the tube. "Eriol-kun," she whispered.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about him, Cardmistress," Kaizer Cyberon said. "After all, you're the one with the paradox to puzzle over."  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura said, confused.  
  
"Paradox?" Kerberos said.  
  
"It's really simple, Kerberos," Spinel Sun said. "We need to destroy Algol in order to save the city, but if we attack Algol, we'll trigger the defense barrier and hurt Eriol."  
  
"So if Sakura-chan destroys the barrier, Eriol-kun will die," Tomoyo said.  
  
"The simplest way to put it is 'doomed if you do, doomed if you don't,'" Maya elaborated. "We attack Algol, we'll kill Eriol. We don't attack Algol, it'll destroy Tokyo."  
  
"What a choice," Meiling said, keeping her eyes on the Kaizer and his entourage. "This guy has a really twisted mind."  
  
*What will I do?* Sakura asked herself as she looked at the helpless Eriol. *I can't break through the barrier without hurting Eriol-kun, but if I don't, we won't be able to stop Algol from destroying the city.*  
  
"Pondering what to do, Miss Kinomoto?" Kaizer Cyberon asked. "Which is more important, your friend or the lives of everyone in Tokyo?" An evil grin crossed his face once again. "Of course, you can save both if you just cooperate with me."  
  
Ruby Moon glared at the Kaizer's image. "Here's our answer!" She sent a powerful stream of crystals into the Window, shattering it.  
  
"Tempermental, isn't she, Database?" Kaizer Cyberon said after seeing the scene on the ground-based Window.  
  
"She does possess the inherent flaws of her creator's species," Database commented.  
  
"How true," the Kaizer said in agreement with a sigh.  
  
Ruby Moon took a deep breath. "I'm sorry, but he was really getting on my nerves," she said to the others.  
  
A roar came from the nearby building. "Guys, I think the triple threat's up," Brandon said, glancing at the spot.  
  
Pegasus Uni looked at the magician trapped in the tube. "Oh dear..."  
  
"We've got to get him out of there!" Ready cried out. In her mind, she heard Kaho's soft sobs. "Miss Mizuki's counting on us."  
  
"Ready, we can't just attack," Pegasus Uni said firmly. "Otherwise, Miss Mizuki will be seeing Eriol again...in a coffin."  
  
"If he's lucky to stay in one piece," Brandon said grimly, his eyes darting occasionally to the site of Cyberus' crash.  
  
"We can't give up!" Sakura declared. "We need to save Eriol-kun."  
  
"But how?" O.G. asked. "We break the barrier, we kill Eriol. We don't break the barrier, this big floating scrapheap blows up more of Tokyo until the nut case below gets your magical stuff, and I don't think you're going to do that."  
  
*No, I can't surrender my Cards and Key, but if I don't...* Sakura looked at Eriol. *There must be a way to free Eriol-kun without hurting him. But how?*  
  
Tomoyo noted Sakura as she pondered the dilemma she was caught in. "Sakura-chan..." she whispered.  
  
Brandon saw Cyberus' three heads stick out of the broken window. "Guys..."  
  
*If I try to destroy Algol, Eriol-kun will die. If I don't try, Algol will destroy Tokyo,* Sakura thought. *If I could get past the barrier without hurting Eriol-kun...* She gasped with realization and shuffled through her Cards.  
  
"Sakura, what are you doing?" Ruby Moon asked as the Cardmistress searched her deck of magical cards.  
  
Cyberus roared and took off towards the small group of magicians and the Guardians. "Better make it quick, Sakura!" Brandon yelled.  
  
"Come on!" Ruby Moon yelled, taking off to intercept the dragon Cyber.  
  
"O.G., let's go!" Brandon shouted, preparing for another aerial shootout. "Ready, stay here with Sakura."  
  
"What?" Ready exclaimed.  
  
"Just in case we need backup." After briefly looking into Ready's blue eyes, Brandon rode O.G. towards the advancing Cyberus.  
  
"Thunder of Doom!" Cyberus cried out, starting the battle with a thunderbolt. Ruby Moon and O.G. retaliated with crystal shots and missiles.  
  
As Cyberus and his opponents engaged in another firefight, Sakura pulled out the Card she was looking for. "Yatta! I got it!"  
  
Pegasus Uni flew in closer to Sakura so she and Ready could see what the Sakura Card was. "I believe that will work," the winged unicorn remarked.  
  
"Go for it, Sakura," Ready said encouragingly.  
  
Sakura's friends saw a close-up of the Card. "The Through Card," Syaoran said.  
  
"Do you think it'll work?" Meiling asked.  
  
"It will," Tomoyo said.  
  
"Why are you optimistic?" Umbriel asked.  
  
"Because it's Sakura-chan," Tomoyo answered.  
  
"Clever little girl," Kaizer Cyberon said, shifting his gaze from the Window to Algol. His red eye focused on the Cardmistress.  
  
Syaoran noticed the Kaizer's movements. *What is he doing?* he thought.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon's hand crackled with black electricity. He slowly raised it and pointed two fingers skyward. "Dark Lightning!" he shouted, smiling coldly as he fired towards his intended target.  
  
Holding the Through Card before her, Sakura prepared to release its magic. After transforming her Wand back into its original form, she tossed the Card before her and raised her Wand. "Help me pass that deadly barrier! Thr...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"  
  
The Dark Lightning shot out from below and struck Sakura before she could complete her spell. Tendrils of ebony-colored electricity engulfed and coursed through the Cardmistress' body.  
  
Pegasus Uni barely moved away in time to avoid the attack. "Sakura!" Ready shouted, reaching out to her with her Staff.  
  
"Ready, don't!" Pegasus Uni warned, keeping away from the Cardmistress.  
  
Avoiding a River of Sorrow, Ruby Moon saw the surprise attack. "Sakura!"  
  
Brandon also noticed. "Oh, man!" he shouted as he and O.G. barely dodged a Fire of Rage.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cried.  
  
"Kinomoto-san!" Meiling shouted.  
  
Syaoran watched helplessly as Sakura succumbed to the Kaizer's attack. "Sakura!" he yelled.  
  
Unable to hear anything, Sakura felt her limbs go numb. The wings on her back faded away. Her mouth closed off all screams. Her eyelids got heavy, and the last thing she saw was Eriol in the tube.  
  
Watching Sakura on his red eye, Kaizer Cyberon chuckled evilly. "Magicians should be able to defy gravity, don't you think, Mr. Li?" he remarked to the Chinese magician.  
  
"You..." Glaring at Kaizer Cyberon, Syaoran slowly broke away from the others.  
  
"But then, they usually have to be conscious to do so." With that, Kaizer Cyberon deactivated his Dark Lightning attack.  
  
Slipping out of the Cardmistress' hand, the Star Wand preceded Sakura as it fell along with the Through Card. Gravity also took over the unconscious Sakura and plunged her towards the ground. Her friends watched with horror as she descended quickly. Suddenly, the Window vanished.  
  
"She is coming to you soon. No surprise there," Kaizer Cyberon said.  
  
Without a word, Yue flew upward. "Hey, wait up!" Kerberos yelled, taking off after the Moon Guardian.  
  
"Kerberos, be careful!" Lupe yelled after the departing winged lion.  
  
Above, Ready watched the helpless Cardmistress. "Uni..."  
  
"I'm on it! Hang on!" Pegasus Uni dove towards Sakura.  
  
Seeing Ready and Pegasus Uni go after Sakura, Cyberus prepared to go after them. A missile to the chest from O.G. stopped him.  
  
"You're not getting past us," Brandon threatened while Ruby Moon joined him. Cyberus growled at them, and the firefight resumed.  
  
Yue and Kerberos sped towards Sakura. The Moon Guardian headed towards Sakura while the Sun Guardian went after the Star Wand and the Through Card.  
  
"She's falling too fast for us!" Pegasus Uni shouted. "We won't be able to make it!"  
  
"Go faster!" Ready yelled.  
  
Yue stopped below Sakura and held out his hands. His mistress fell into his arms safely. Ready and Pegasus Uni stopped before him. "Whew," Ready remarked upon seeing Sakura in the Moon Guardian's arms.  
  
Nearby, Kerberos caught up to the Star Wand and clamped his mouth around it. "Damn!" he cursed as the Through Card passed by him.  
  
"We got it!" Ready shouted as she and Pegasus Uni went after the falling Sakura Card. Fortunately for them, the young Starlighter caught it on her first try.  
  
With the small fight near Algol behind them, the rescue party rejoined the others. "Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said, rushing over to her fallen friend. Soon everyone crowded around Yue.  
  
Yue laid his mistress gently on the ground. "She is still alive," he reported.  
  
"I agree," Maya said, placing her fingers on Sakura's neck. "She's still got a pulse."  
  
Syaoran held Sakura's hand and looked at her face. "Sakura," he whispered.  
  
"How touching."  
  
Syaoran turned around and glared at Kaizer Cyberon. Letting go of Sakura and clutching his sword, he got to his feet.  
  
"I must confess that I didn't expect the Cardmistress to have a lot of stamina," the Kaizer continued. "Of course, she's still alive only because I didn't fully utilize the power of my Dark Lightning."  
  
"If that happened, there wouldn't be a body," Database elaborated.  
  
"How true. Perhaps I should have vaporized her, after all. The Cards and Key would have survived," the Kaizer said thoughtfully. "Besides, one less human is a plus in my book."  
  
"Indeed, Majesty," Database agreed with a nod.  
  
"You..." Syaoran said menacingly under his breath.  
  
"Before I claim the Cardmistress' magical objects, I'll just destroy another section of Tokyo." Kaizer Cyberon looked upward at his chosen instrument of destruction. "Algol, initiate..."  
  
"Please take care of Sakura, stuffed animal," Syaoran whispered to Kerberos.  
  
"Huh?" Kerberos said.  
  
Before anyone could stop him, Syaoran charged at the Kaizer. "Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" he yelled, his sword in front of him ready to strike.  
  
"Syaoran, wait!" Meiling shouted.  
  
"My, what a temper," Database remarked as the Chinese magician continued his charge.  
  
"Hmph," the Kaizer remarked as Syaoran headed his way. "Protectors, delete this human garbage," he ordered his guards coolly.  
  
The two guards rushed out to meet Syaoran. Seeing them, the Chinese magician pulled out an ofuda. "Raitei shourai!" he shouted, striking it and sending a thunderbolt at the Protectors.  
  
The two Cybers responded by activating energy shields which blocked the attack. Then they aimed their staffs at Syaoran and fired. Dodging the blasts, Syaoran leapt towards one Protector and made a swing at it. The Protector blocked the blade with its staff, and Syaoran landed before it. The other Protector joined its comrade in a staredown with the Chinese magician. After a minute, Syaoran lunged at the Protectors and attacked with his sword. Soon he found himself attacking, blocking, and dodging.  
  
Tired of attacking and counterattacking, the Protectors transformed back into flying discs. Spikes shot out of their sides, and they spun towards Syaoran. He ducked, but not in time to avoid getting his shoulder cut by a sharp point.  
  
Getting back on his feet, Syaoran watched as the Protectors hovered above him. Targeting the Chinese magician, the Cybers deployed missiles towards him. They watched as the projectiles made contact, causing a large explosion.  
  
"Syaoran!" Meiling shouted.  
  
"That will teach all humans never to defy you, Majesty," Database said to his leader.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon said nothing as he scanned the place of impact with his red eye. He looked past the smoke as the Protectors hovered closer for a better view. "Hm?"  
  
To everyone's surprise, Syaoran leapt out with his sword raised over his head. Unable to respond in time, the nearest Protector was cleaved in half. As it disintegrated, Syaoran faced the remaining Cyber.  
  
Now alone, the Protector launched another missile at the Chinese magician. Syaoran leapt over the projectile and took out an ofuda. "Ka shin!" he cried, striking it. A burst of fire emerged and engulfed the flying disc.  
  
The Protector returned to robot mode and landed. Despite the fire raging all over its body, it recalled its staff and activated a beam blade at its tip. Without hesitation, Syaoran charged the enflamed Cyber and swung his sword hard. The Protector tried to block the attack with its staff, but the blade sliced through it and the Cyber's torso.  
  
After the Protector faded into nothingness, Syaoran faced the Kaizer. Glaring and scowling at the young emperor, he pointed his blade at him.  
  
Tomoyo aimed her camcorder in that direction. "Li-kun looks mad," she remarked.  
  
"Tell me about it," Meiling said.  
  
"Can you blame him?" Ready said, looking at Sakura.  
  
"Is this some sort of joke?" the Kaizer taunted, eyeing the Chinese magician.  
  
"You've caused enough suffering today," Syaoran said angrily. "It ends now!"  
  
Database hovered forward and blocked the Kaizer with his body. "Actually, your existence ends now, human."  
  
"Hold it, Database," Kaizer Cyberon said, amused at Syaoran's boldness. "I'll handle this pest myself."  
  
Database turned and faced his emperor. "Majesty, allow me to delete this human filth for you. A superior being such as yourself does not need to waste his powers on this inferior beast," he said.  
  
"I can take care of this human," Kaizer Cyberon said, disdain marking the word "human." "Go and assist Cyberus in taking out the ones near Algol."  
  
Database looked at the others with Sakura. "What about them?"  
  
"I'll deal with them after I dispatch Mr. Li," the Kaizer answered.  
  
Database bowed his head. "By your command, Majesty," he said obediently before vanishing.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon faced the strongest magician from the Li clan. "Congratulations, Mr. Li. You've bravely volunteered to sacrifice your life in place of the ones Algol was about to extinguish," he stated.  
  
Syaoran said nothing in response. Instead, he lowered his sword and glared at the Kaizer.  
  
"Don't fight him!" Spinel Sun warned the Li magician. "You have no idea how powerful he is!"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Meiling said, fixing her gaze on the Moon Guardian. "Syaoran can defeat him."  
  
"Kaizer Cyberon defeated Eriol with little effort," Spinel Sun reminded her. "I doubt Syaoran stands a chance."  
  
"You'd better listen to the talking panther, Mr. Li," the Kaizer said mockingly with a brief chuckle. "You have no idea about the power I possess."  
  
Syaoran broke his silence. "I know your power. I know what magic you use."  
  
"Oh, really?" Kaizer Cyberon said, crossing his arms across his chest. "Then you know you can't win."  
  
Syaoran's free hand formed a fist at his side. "I don't know how you can utilize that power in this manner, but it won't stop me from defeating you." With the image of Sakura on the ground in his mind, he swung his sword and assumed a battle position. "Face me, Kaizer Cyberon!"  
  
Kaizer Cyberon smiled coldly. "Your funeral."  
  
Grimacing, Syaoran kept his sword in front of him. The Kaizer kept his ground and returned the intense glare from the Chinese magician.  



	18. Chapter 17: Duel! Syaoran vs. Kaizer C...

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 17: Duel! Syaoran vs. Kaizer Cyberon  
  
For a while, Syaoran and Kaizer Cyberon confined themselves to staring at each other silently. To the others, the Chinese magician and the Emperor of the Cyber World seemed to be waiting for someone to start. As for the magicians themselves, Syaoran kept his sword out and was ready for anything. Kaizer Cyberon watched him with no weapon in his hand.  
  
"What are they waiting for?" Tomoyo asked curiously to no one in particular as she captured the staredown on tape. With Ready, Maya and Yue watching over her, Sakura continued to lie unconscious on the ground. Kerberos placed the Star Wand next to her hand and joined the vigil while viewing the two boy magicians.  
  
Near Algol, Brandon and the others continued the fight against Cyberus. "I hope Sakura's okay," the Shadowwalker said as he and O.G. avoided a Thunder of Doom attack. "Greenbean's gotta be peeved."  
  
"I'm sure of it," Ruby Moon said as she blasted the three-headed dragon with crystals. "Why can't you just stay down?" she yelled in frustration.  
  
"Yeah! Listen to the lady!" O.G. shouted as he unloaded missile after missile on the monstrous Cyber, sending him closer to Algol. "Just die already!"  
  
"Data Smash!"  
  
O.G. and Ruby Moon barely avoided a fist composed of energy flying in from behind. "Hey, where'd that come from?" Brandon wondered. "Forget I asked," he said when he saw Database floating behind them.  
  
Cyberus spotted his fellow Cyber. "Why are you here? I was handling these germs by myself."  
  
Database vanished and reappeared next to the three-headed dragon. "His Majesty's orders," he stated. "Besides, two Megas are better than one."  
  
Cyberus chuckled as he looked at his prey. "How true."  
  
"Uh oh," Brandon said.  
  
"Let's prove you two wrong!" O.G. roared, aiming his cannons at the two Cybers.  
  
"O.G., wait!" Brandon yelled.  
  
O.G. failed to heed his master and fired two missiles at Database and Cyberus. Both Cybers ascended, and the projectiles exploded on the barrier. Inside Algol, Eriol awoke briefly and screamed.  
  
"Well, we seem to have an excellent attack position," Database remarked as he and Cyberus lowered themselves to their original place.  
  
Brandon grimaced at his Guardian. "Ooops," the large bear said.  
  
"Looks like we've got a problem," Ruby Moon commented as she glared at the two Cybers.  
  
"How right you are." Database opened his robe to revealed a deep void. "Data Download!"  
  
Swarms of Bits, Bytes, and Cardians flew out to attack the Cybers' enemies. "Oh, great," Brandon muttered just before he swung his weapon at a Byte.  
  
Below, Kaizer Cyberon broke the silence. "Well, make your move, Mr. Li."  
  
Without a second thought, Syaoran charged the Kaizer with his sword pointed forward. The Cyber leader watched this with an amused smile on his face.  
  
"Is he insane?" Kerberos said. "The gaki will run him through."  
  
Spinel Sun watched everything silently. Umbriel exchanged a look with the dark Sun Guardian, who responded by shaking his head solemnly.  
  
Now close to his target, Syaoran thrust his blade at him. Still smiling, Kaizer Cyberon vanished, and the Chinese magician's sword thrust through empty air. "Nani?" Syaoran exclaimed.  
  
"Just like before," Spinel Sun said under his breath.  
  
Kerberos turned to his fellow Sun Guardian. "Just like before? What are you talking about?"  
  
Lupe stood next to Kerberos. "Yeah, Suppi. What's Syaoran up against?"  
  
"It doesn't matter what Syaoran's up against," Meiling said boldly. "Ganbatte, Syaoran!" she shouted to her cousin.  
  
Keeping his sword in front of him, Syaoran scanned the area for his opponent. "Where are you?" he demanded angrily, clenching his fist in front of him. "Show yourself!"  
  
Tomoyo gasped. "Li-kun, behind you!"  
  
Syaoran spun around quickly in time to receive a Dark Lightning blast to his chest. The attack knocked him back about a meter, and he stumbled to the ground. Sitting upright, he saw Kaizer Cyberon standing before him.  
  
"Request granted, Mr. Li." Kaizer Cyberon held out his hands. "Here I am."  
  
Syaoran sprung to his feet and pulled out an ofuda. "Raitei shourai!" he shouted, striking the magical piece of paper. A thunderbolt sped out towards the Kaizer and exploded upon making contact. The smoke cleared, and the Kaizer was gone.  
  
"Got him!" Meiling said, holding her fist out.  
  
"Do not be too sure," Umbriel said.  
  
Not willing to trust Meiling's assumption, Syaoran pulled out another ofuda and looked for the Kaizer. His eyes darted from left to right as he searched for his foe.  
  
"You're not looking in the right places, Mr. Li."  
  
Syaoran's eyes darted upward and found Kaizer Cyberon hovering above him. His arms folded over his chest, the Kaizer looked down at his opponent with disdain.  
  
"Come down here and face me!" Syaoran yelled, shaking his fist at the Cyber leader.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon chuckled evilly as he held out his open palm. "Null Bomb," he said, a small ball of dark energy forming in his hand.  
  
Syaoran readied several ofuda as the ball grew larger. Once the orb was the size of a beach ball, the Kaizer flung it at the Chinese magician.  
  
"Syaoran!" Meiling cried as the Null Bomb approached its target.  
  
"Li-kun!" Tomoyo cried, still recording.  
  
Syaoran closed his eyes and concentrated. Tomoyo and the others watched as the Null Bomb impacted with the ground and exploded, engulfing the area in a widening dome of darkness. As the dome faded, the Kaizer smiled at the result, a deep hole with a wide diameter which replaced most of the section it inhabited.   
  
"Whoa!" Lupe exclaimed.  
  
"Syaoran!" Meiling screamed.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon lowered himself into the pit. Smirking, he saw no sign of the Chinese magician as he scanned the area. "Oh dear, I believe I've nullified him."  
  
Behind the Cyber emperor, a mass of ofuda resembling a cocoon materialized. Seeing his enemy distracted, the cocoon's inhabitant burst out with his sword raised and leapt toward the Kaizer. The blade got closer to the Kaizer's helmet.  
  
"Legerdemain," Kaizer Cyberon said softly. The blade failed to hit its target because it froze along with its wielder. The Kaizer turned around to face an immobile Syaoran in mid-air struggling to regain movement.  
  
"Eennggghhh..." Syaoran grunted as he struggled with the Kaizer's magic, but his limbs failed to cooperate.  
  
"An amusing parlor trick, Mr. Li," Kaizer Cyberon said, waving his hand. Syaoran found himself being flung into the wall behind him. He was rammed into the dirt and concrete hard and became embedded in the spot. The Kaizer waved his hand again, and an invisible fist struck Syaoran on his left cheek, forcing his head to face that direction. Another wave resulted in a punch to the right, and the Kaizer alternated the attacks.  
  
Tomoyo-tachi stayed where they were, which proved to be difficult with Meiling shouting for a charge into the pit. She found a willing accomplice in Lupe, and Kerberos was showing an interest.  
  
"I thought you didn't like him," Ready said to the Sun Guardian, recalling what Eriol told her about Sakura and her friends.  
  
Kerberos let out a "hmph." "I'm doing it for her," he said, looking at his fallen mistress.  
  
"Then you'd be committing suicide," Spinel Sun said solemnly. "He's too powerful."  
  
"We can't just leave him down there!" Meiling yelled.  
  
"I agree!" Lupe said. "Kerberos, let's go down there and..."  
  
An unpleasant sight canceled all plans for the heroic charge. Something flew out of the deep pit and quickly crashed at its edge. Tomoyo pointed her camcorder at the spot and gasped upon recognizing the person. "Li-kun!"  
  
His clothes torn and dirty and his face badly bruised, Syaoran willed his arms to pick him up. As he ignored the pain in his body and freed himself from the ground, he watched as Kaizer Cyberon appeared before him. He pulled out an ofuda and struck it. "Ka shin!" he yelled, hurling a stream of fire at the Emperor of the Cyber World.  
  
The Kaizer held out his hand, and the fire struck an invisible barrier. The fire changed in color from yellow and orange to a dark blue, and with a wave of the Kaizer's hand, it flew at its original wielder. Syaoran jumped out of the way to avoid getting a hotfoot and worse. Glaring at the Kaizer through the flames, Syaoran ran through with them with a yell and his sword aimed for his enemy's head.  
  
Seeing the Chinese magician charging at him, Kaizer Cyberon decided to give him what he considered a break. A large ring appeared in his gloved hand, and a sharp blade shot out of it. He swung his new weapon in time to block the attack aimed for his head.  
  
Tomoyo-tachi watched as the two combatants broke off and lunged at each other with their swords. Their blades clanged as they sought to inflict damage onto the other's owner.  
  
"Go get him, Syaoran!" Meiling shouted encouragingly, waving her fist in the air.  
  
Watching the two magicians swing, block, and swing again, Ready and Maya heard a low groan from Sakura. The Starlighter and Ecomancer turned in time to see Sakura's eyes blink and open.  
  
"Mmmmmm..." Sakura managed to say, her eyes half-open. She started to rise from the ground.  
  
Kerberos shifted his focus from the fight to his mistress. "Sakura."  
  
"Mistress," Yue said softly.  
  
"Try not to strain yourself," Ready said gently, holding Sakura up. "Do you want me to...?"  
  
"No. I'll be fine," Sakura reassured her. She found the Star Wand and held it tightly.  
  
Tomoyo heard her best friend and bent down next to her. "Sakura-chan, you should rest," she said softly.  
  
"I can't," Sakura said. "Not with Eriol-kun still trapped in Algol." Her eyes looked upward at the massive Cyber, and she could make out flashes of light. "What's going on?"  
  
"Syaoran, look out!" Meiling yelled.  
  
Sakura almost sprang up. "Syaoran-kun?"  
  
As Ready and Maya helped Sakura to her feet, Syaoran barely dodged a swing to the head from the Kaizer. Recovering, he aimed for the Kaizer's head, and his sword met his with a clang. Syaoran began to push into his sword, and the Kaizer responded with the same amount of force. Both clenched their teeth as they strained to overcome the other.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura cried out.  
  
Syaoran heard his beloved's voice, and he became relieved she was conscious. He turned to see her standing with the help of Ready, Maya, and Tomoyo. "Sakura..." he whispered.  
  
"Dark Lightning!" With his free hand, Kaizer Cyberon blasted Syaoran to the ground. Just as the Chinese magician hit the ground, the Kaizer's sword glowed. "Cyber Cutter!" he yelled, swinging his weapon and sending a thin wave of energy at his opponent.  
  
Syaoran moved out of the way in time, and the Cyber Cutter left a deep cut in the ground. He yanked out an ofuda and struck it. "Raitei shourai!" he yelled, sending a lightning bolt at the Kaizer.  
  
"Dark Lightning!" Kaizer Cyberon counterattacked, and the spectators were treated to two lightning attacks, one yellow and the other dark, pushing against each other and dependent on the strength of their users.  
  
Both magicians clenched their teeth and focused on willing their attack to overcome the other. Lightning and Dark Lightning crackled together. Domination was fleeting; one moment Syaoran's lightning inched forward, and later the Dark Lightning shoved its way forward.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura yelled.  
  
With beads of sweat forming on his forehead, Syaoran kept his gaze forward. "Sakura, go save Hiiragizawa!" he yelled, a part of him a little shocked at what he said.  
  
"But, Syaoran-kun..."  
  
"Do it!" Syaoran yelled, starting to feel weaker. "I'll be fine! Just save him!"  
  
Sakura looked at Syaoran, then at Algol. With determination on her face, Sakura reached for the Fly Card. "Fl...!"  
  
"Wait!" Kerberos walked up to Sakura. "I'll take you up there," he said kindly, presenting his back to her.  
  
"Arigato, Kerberos-san." Sakura climbed onto the golden lion. "Let's..."  
  
"Wait a sec!" Ready ran up to Sakura and Kerberos. "You might need this," she said, handing her the Through Card.  
  
Sakura nodded and took the Card. "Arigato, Brighton-san."  
  
"Uni!" Ready called for her Guardian, who galloped to her side. "We're coming with you, Sakura," she declared as she leapt onto Pegasus Uni's back.  
  
"As am I." Umbriel leapt onto Pegasus Uni and landed behind his mistress. "I recommend haste," he said, observing the battle near Algol.  
  
Kerberos, Pegasus Uni, and their passengers flew upward towards Algol. Syaoran spotted them, and Kaizer Cyberon took advantage and increased his attack. Dark Lightning overwhelmed Syaoran's lightning, and only a forward leap into the air saved Syaoran from sharing the fate of the exploding ground below. He let gravity take him towards the Kaizer, and only a quick sword block on his part saved him from Syaoran's blade. Landing, Syaoran swung at the Kaizer's head. The Kaizer stepped back and made a thrust for Syaoran's heart. The Chinese magician sidestepped the attack and made another attempt at his opponent's head. Again, another sword block saved the Kaizer.  
  
"Hmph. Looks like Miss Kinomoto is off to save the old man," the Emperor of the Cyber World remarked as he pushed onto Syaoran's blade. "Shouldn't you be at her side so you two can die together?"  
  
Syaoran snarled and pushed harder. "I won't let you hurt her again," he told his enemy through clenched teeth.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon broke the contact with a swing, and Syaoran leapt back to avoid the incoming blade. "Tell me, Mr. Li. Why do you fight for her? Why do you risk your life for a measly deck of magical cards and a little key?" the Kaizer asked, placing his free hand on his side and lowering his sword as he looked at his opponent.  
  
"Because I love her!" Syaoran yelled, gripping his sword and pointing it at the Kaizer. "She's the one person I care more about than me! I will do anything to protect her!"  
  
The Kaizer smirked. "Then you're fighting for a false cause," he told Syaoran coldly, his red eye glowing.  
  
"What?" Syaoran stared at the Kaizer incredulously.  
  
"Legerdemain!" the Kaizer shouted as he waved his free hand.  
  
Explosions rocked the ground surrounding Syaoran, sending pieces of earth and concrete skyward. "Aaaaaaaaaa!" he shouted, shielding his face from the flying debris as he stood firm.  
  
On their mounts, Sakura, Ready, and Umbriel hurried to Algol. Their timing was perfect. Database had Ruby Moon, Brandon, and O.G. trapped in an energy bubble being projected from his arm, and Cyberus was ready to blast them. Fortunately, the three-headed dragon was arguing among himself over which head would have the honor of finishing them off.  
  
"I should finish them off with River of Sorrow!" the reptilian head argued.  
  
"No! Fire of Rage!" the dog head argued back.  
  
"Blizzard of Blight will do the trick!" the bird head shouted.  
  
"River of Sorrow!" the reptilian head shouted at the dog head.  
  
"Fire of Rage!" the dog head shouted, turning to face the reptilian head.  
  
"Blizzard of Blight!" the bird head yelled at them both.  
  
"Hey, I have two attacks!" the reptilian head reminded the others. "River of Sorrow and Thunder of Doom!"  
  
As the three heads continued their noisy debate, they began snapping at each other. The reptilian head and dog head tried to catch each other with their deadly jaws, and the bird head did its best to peck both of them.  
  
"No wonder three's a crowd," Brandon remarked as Cyberus hovered left to right thanks to his feuding heads.  
  
"I bet they share the same tiny brain," O.G. remarked.  
  
"If he has a brain," Ruby Moon quipped, looking for a way to break out of their dilemma. Her attempts to break out with her crystal attack proved futile.  
  
"Will you just kill them?" Database yelled, shaking his free arm in frustration at the dragon Cyber. "Use all your attacks at the same time!"  
  
The three heads froze in mid-bite of each other. "Oh yeah!" they said at the same time. They all aimed at their captives and prepared to fire.  
  
Umbriel spotted the trapped Shadowwalker and the two Guardians from afar. "Mistress, hang on tightly to Pegasus Uni."  
  
Ready turned to her Darkling Guardian as she did as she was told. "Umbriel, what...?"  
  
Without a word, Umbriel leapt off Pegasus Uni. The winged unicorn shook briefly, and Ready held on, determined not to end up as street pizza on the ground below. The Darkling headed for Kerberos. "Cardmistress, hang on! Kerberos, forgive me!"  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura said.  
  
"What is he talking...?" Kerberos wondered out loud.  
  
Umbriel landed briefly on Kerberos' rear and sprung off. Sakura leaned into Kerberos, who managed to maintain his balance after being used as a springboard. The Cardmistress watched as the Darkling headed towards the site of battle. Narrowing his eyes at his first target, Umbriel reached for his sword.  
  
Below, Kaizer Cyberon charged Syaoran as the Chinese magician recovered from the previous Legerdemain attack. Syaoran blocked a sword swing and pushed the Kaizer away with his own blade. He brought it down towards Kaizer Cyberon's head, but it clanged as it met his upraised sword. Syaoran leapt back to avoid an energy blast and landed a good distance from his enemy.  
  
"Dark Lightning!" Kaizer Cyberon yelled, firing at the Chinese magician.  
  
Syaoran jumped over the electric blast and landed to the Kaizer's right. Kaizer Cyberon fired again, and Syaoran leapt away. Tomoyo-tachi watched as Syaoran leapt over Dark Lightning blasts.  
  
"He's just jumping around him!" Lupe noticed. "What is he doing?"  
  
Meiling watched her cousin closely. "I have a good idea," she said, grinning.  
  
"As do I," Yue said, having watched the battle closely.  
  
After leaping in a complete circle around Kaizer Cyberon, Syaoran landed before the self-proclaimed emperor. The Chinese magician gasped for air and fought the urge to wipe the sweat trickling on his brow.  
  
"Thank you for stopping your little acrobatics exhibition." Kaizer Cyberon pointed two fingers crackling with Dark Lightning. "Non-mobile targets are easier to hit."  
  
Syaoran's eyes glared at the Kaizer, and his mouth curled into a grin. Raising his sword, he cried out, "Raitei shourai!"  
  
The ofuda Syaoran dropped while he jumped over the Dark Lightning attacks glowed brightly and began connecting each other with bolts of yellow electricity. A second later, tendrils of lightning shot out and struck the Kaizer. Clenching his teeth, the Cyber leader found himself immobilized by the surprise attack.  
  
Near Algol, Cyberus opened all his mouths and charged up for attack. Balls of energy formed, and the dragon Cyber prepared to unleash three destructive attacks. "Say your prayers, organics!"  
  
"I think not!"  
  
Umbriel shot out from below and slashed the robot dragon in the chest. Roaring loudly, Cyberus staggered back. The Darkling landed on the dragon's back, and the bird head shot out to attack him. Umbriel sidestepped it and grabbed it by the neck as he leapt away from the dog head and the reptilian head. He ran across Cyberus and threw the bird head around the dog head. The reptilian head lunged at him, and Umbriel grabbed its throat. He looped the head around its fellows with one hand and tightened the knot.  
  
"That will keep you out of trouble," the Darkling told the three heads as they struggled to break free of their predicament.  
  
Database aimed his free arm at Umbriel. "Data Strike!" he yelled, firing an energy fist at the Darkling.  
  
Umbriel sprung off Cyberus and soared over the attack. Touching briefly the energy beam the fist was connected it, the Darkling leapt towards the Kaizer's vizier. Before he could fire again, Database found both of Umbriel's feet in his face. Umbriel leapt off Database, kicking the vizier of the Cyber World back. His timing was excellent; with Database's concentration gone, the bubble surrounding Brandon and the others vanished, and Umbriel landed on O.G. next to the young Shadowwalker.  
  
"Hey," Brandon greeted the Darkling.  
  
"What took ya?" O.G. asked.  
  
"Finally," Ruby Moon remarked, eyeing Database as he started to stabilize himself. Flying at the vizier, she rammed into him and pounded relentlessly on his body. The Moon Guardian wrapped her arms around the Master Cyber and flew towards the still-tangled Cyberus. Both Cybers made a loud noise as Ruby Moon crashed Database into the dragon, effectively embedding the vizier into him. "Something to remember me by," she said after punching all three heads. She flew off before the Cybers could retaliate and hit them with a crystal blast.  
  
Sakura and Ready arrived on the scene with Kerberos and Pegasus Uni. "Hey, Ruby! Move those bozos away from the barrier!" Ready shouted.  
  
"With pleasure." Ruby Moon grabbed the two Cybers and threw them away from Algol.  
  
"My turn!" O.G. launched two rockets at Database and Cyberus. The projectiles dove and struck them from below. Instead of exploding, they embedded themselves and lifted the two skyward. Once they were located above Algol's head, Pegasus Uni took aim and fired an energy beam. It hit its targets and sent them flying off away from Algol.  
  
"Buh-bye!" Brandon yelled after the two Cybers as they disappeared into the distance.  
  
Seeing his enemy trapped, Syaoran readied himself to end the fight. Deactivating his ofuda, he watched the Kaizer slump to the ground. With a yell, he charged towards his fallen foe. Once he was close enough, Syaoran swung his blade at the Kaizer's bowed head, hoping this time his blow would connect. It did, but the result was unexpected. The Chinese magician watched as his sword not only shattered the Kaizer's helmet, but his entire head. The rest of him followed, and Syaoran witnessed pieces of Kaizer Cyberon fall to the ground like glass from a broken window after a ball punched through it.  
  
"All right, Syaoran!" Meiling yelled.  
  
Spinel Sun blinked, then shook his head solemnly. "I fear it isn't over."  
  
Meiling placed her hands on her hips and stared down at Eriol's Moon Guardian. "What are you talking about? Syaoran won! He did it!"  
  
Syaoran watched as the shards vanished. He walked in to get a better look. His brain was divided between believing the Kaizer was dead and believing he was still alive. The latter feeling was weaker, but it nagged the Chinese magician. He had only wanted to destroy the Kaizer's power source, not kill him. His common sense also bothered him. "That was too easy," he muttered.  
  
With Database and Cyberus gone, Sakura and the others flew towards the barrier. With Kerberos hovering before Eriol, Sakura took out the Through Card. "Help me enter and save Eriol-kun! Through!" she cried out as she struck the Card with her Wand.  
  
Everyone watched as Through created a hole in Algol's barrier. "Yes!" Ready exclaimed.  
  
"Yatta!" Sakura said, watching as the hole grew large enough for someone to fly through. "Kerberos-san, let's..."  
  
Pegasus Uni was about to follow Kerberos in when she saw him stop. "Uni, why did you...?" Ready began, but her ears picked up a faint noise. "Hey, do you guys hear...?"  
  
"Un," Sakura said with a nod. "It sounds like..."  
  
"Buzzing," Ruby Moon said.  
  
"Bees," Brandon specified. He listened closely. "Very big bees."  
  
Ruby Moon and Umbriel nodded to each other silently and faced the breach in the barrier. Kerberos, Pegasus Uni, and O.G. prepared to protect their charges.  
  
Hatches appeared around Eriol and opened, releasing hordes of large robot bees. Some surrounded the tube containing him while others started to head towards the magicians and Guardians.  
  
"Hoeee!" Sakura yelled as a few bees headed her way.  
  
With a roar, Kerberos toasted them with a well-placed fireball. As they vanished, more took their place. The robot insects took aim with their stingers and fired laser beams at the intruders. The Sun Guardian moved out of the way, but more lasers zipped at him. "Hang on, Sakura!" he shouted as he alternated between dodging and firing.  
  
Sakura leaned forward and clung tightly to Kerberos' back. As she did, lasers passed her. Some of them managed to lightly hit her as they passed. Nearby, Pegasus Uni danced around the shots and retaliated with energy blasts from her horn. Ready joined in with her own attacks, and Ruby Moon contributed to the bee shoot with crystal blasts. Standing on O.G., Umbriel protected himself with his cape and sliced any bee that came near him. Brandon alternated between energy blasts and slashes from his Rod blade.  
  
"O.G., pest control!" Brandon yelled as he took out a bee that dared to venture too close.  
  
"Right, boss!" O.G. fired both his cannons and took out the remaining bees.  
  
"All right, let's save Eriol!" Ruby Moon shouted, leading the way towards the hole in the barrier.  
  
"Ruby Moon, watch out!" Pegasus Uni yelled.  
  
More bees streamed out of the hatches and through the hole. The young magicians and Guardians found themselves dodging, blasting, and slicing to stay alive. Kerberos winced as two lasers struck his sides. Pegasus Uni ignored the slight pain in her wing caused by lasers she failed to completely dodge.  
  
"Th-they're not stopping!" Sakura yelled, pointing to the hole as more bees swarmed out to greet the would-be rescuers.  
  
Ready raised her Staff. "Illumination!" she cried, creating a light bubble around her and the others. The bees' lasers pinged against the effective protection. "That'll hold 'em off."  
  
"Oh no!" Sakura pointed to the hole in Algol's barrier. All eyes were on it and immediately widened in surprise as they perceived the slowly shrinking breach.  
  
"Through's magic is fading," Ruby Moon said. "Blasted robot must be countering it."  
  
"We've got to go out there and save Eriol!" Ready said.  
  
"Kinda hard with the Bee Brigade out there," Brandon said, pointing out the swarm of robot insects waiting for their prey to come out.  
  
"It's gonna get worse, boss," O.G. said.  
  
Brandon looked into the face of his Guardian. "O.G., we're trapped by killer bees armed with laser stingers, and the Big Statue of Destruction is closing off our only chance of rescuing our mentor. What could be worse?"  
  
"Uh, Ready's barrier's cracking," O.G. replied.  
  
"He's right!" Sakura exclaimed, seeing the cracks forming on the light shield thanks to the pricking of constant laser rain from the bees.  
  
"We need to do something!" Ruby Moon told the others. "The hole's getting smaller!"  
  
Behind the hostile swarm, the hole continued to seal itself. Still unconscious, Eriol was oblivious to the fight outside to rescue him from Algol's clutches.  
  
Back on the ground, Tomoyo-tachi wondered what the faint flashes of light were in the sky. "They've run into trouble, it seems," Maya said knowingly.  
  
Tomoyo tried to focus her camcorder on the area near Algol. "Ganbatte, Sakura-chan!" she yelled encouragingly.  
  
Syaoran turned from where the Kaizer once was and looked skyward at Algol. Sensing something was wrong, he started to run towards the others, hoping Yue, the only flight-capable Guardian left, could bring him to Sakura. *I'm coming!* he thought urgently as images of Sakura in danger flashed through his head.  
  
"Syaoran, look out!" Meiling yelled.  
  
Her warning came too late. The strongest of the Li Clan's magicians felt someone seize his neck from behind. Struggling to outrun his captor, Syaoran felt himself being lifted off the ground. The pressure surrounding his neck increased, and he gasped for air.  
  
"Come now, Mr. Li. You can't leave yet," the cold voice of Kaizer Cyberon addressed him. "We're not done."  
  
Sakura watched as the cracks on Ready's light bubble got bigger. "Brighton-san, the barrier...!"  
  
Ready strained to keep the barrier up, but the strain on her was evident. Sweat dropped from her forehead, and her teeth clenched together. For a while, she had been able to repair some of the cracks, but the constant laser bombardment created more damage she could not fix easily. She felt like collapsing; the fact she was high above the ground did not register in her exhausted mind. O.G. hovered next to Pegasus Uni, and Brandon held Ready up.  
  
"Th-th-thanks," Ready said, smiling at the Shadowwalker. Brandon bowed his head to hide the beet red blush heating his cheeks.  
  
"Everyone get ready to fight!" Kerberos yelled as the cracks started to ripple and meet. "All Guardians protect the kids!"  
  
Umbriel assessed the situation, then faced Ready. "Mistress, lower the shield."  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura exclaimed.  
  
"Trust me," the Darkling said calmly. "Mistress..."  
  
Ready waved her hand, and the light barrier started to fade away. Seeing their enemies' only protection begging to vanish, the bees started to edge towards them with their stingers fixed at them. Their buzzing seemed to express their joy if they could feel it.  
  
Focusing, Umbriel jumped off O.G. and toward the robot swarm. Perceiving an easy target, the bees fired. The Darkling's jump was so high and far that he cleared most of the swarm. The others watched as he landed on a bee and leapt off in time to avoid a laser. The flying stepping stone was less fortunate.  
  
"Sugoi!" Sakura said as Umbriel continued to leap from bee to bee. Whenever a bee got in his way, he slashed at it with his sword.  
  
"While they're distracted!" Kerberos said, launching a fireball which toasted two bees from behind. "Hold on, Sakura!" he said as he dashed off towards Algol.  
  
"Save some for me, Kerberos!" O.G. yelled as he flew after him with cannons blazing. Ruby Moon and Pegasus Uni joined in with crystal and energy blasts.  
  
Led by the Guardian Beast of the Seal, Sakura's small group plowed through the swarm and destroyed any bee in their path. While the enemy submitted to oblivion behind him, Umbriel arrived at the breach, which was still shrinking. Before the bees could act, the Darkling leapt through the hole. The bees inside the barrier fired, but Umbriel destroyed some of them with an energy wave. Landing on a bee, he quickly leapt off and used the remaining bees as platforms to get closer to the tube containing his objective.  
  
Kerberos and O.G. arrived first at the barrier with Pegasus Uni and Ruby Moon not far behind. "Umbriel!" Ready yelled.  
  
Leaping off the final bee, Umbriel flew towards the tube. At the height of his jump, he raised his sword, and with a yell, he brought it down on the tube. He quickly made a few more slashes, and the tube fell apart into pieces which faded away. Without anything holding him up, Eriol began to fall.  
  
"Eriol-kun!" Sakura shouted.  
  
"Eriol!" Ready and Ruby Moon shouted.  
  
Falling forward, Umbriel grabbed the experienced magician's hand and stabbed into Algol with his sword. The blade dug into the Cyber's surface, and Umbriel hung on tightly to his weapon with Eriol dangling from his hand. The bees found their target helpless and flew in for the kill.  
  
"No ya don't!" Kerberos yelled. He unleashed a fire blast through the hole and vaporized the insects.  
  
Umbriel nodded to the Sun Guardian, but his eyes fixed onto the hole. Its size would soon be too small for him and Eriol to escape through. Apparently Algol sensed its prisoner had been freed, for the shrinking increased.  
  
"Eriol-kun! Umbriel-san!" Sakura said.  
  
"Stand back!" O.G. got closer to the hole.  
  
"Are you crazy?" Ruby Moon shouted angrily. "You'll blow them both to...!"  
  
O.G. fired a cannon, but instead of a missile, a rope with a harpoon attached flew out. It zipped past the hole and headed towards the Darkling and his living cargo. The harpoon embedded itself next to Umbriel. Grabbing the metal spike, Umbriel flung Eriol upward and grabbed his sword handle. As Eriol got as high as he could, the Darkling struggled to yank his sword out of Algol. Just as Eriol descended towards him, he successfully removed his weapon from the Cyber and timed his thrust so that his blade went through Eriol's collar, fixing him to the spot. Holding on to his sword, the Darkling yanked the harpoon out and wrapped the rope around Eriol's waist carefully.  
  
"What is he doing to Eriol-kun?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Hurry!" Ruby Moon shouted urgently. The hole was shrinking towards a size impossible to get through.  
  
Umbriel wrapped his free arm around Eriol. Bracing himself, he pulled his sword out, and the two were subject to gravity.  
  
"Now!" Brandon yelled.  
  
O.G. stretched both arms out of his shell and grabbed the rope. With a grunt, he pulled as hard as he could. Instead of falling to their doom, Umbriel and Eriol were yanked towards the hole, which was nearing its dangerously small size. The force of the pull was so great the rescuer and his charge flew through the hole before it closed on them. In fact, the energy nicked Umbriel's boot. The two flew over O.G. and descended to the ground. Only Umbriel's strong grip on Eriol and the rope stopped them from being street pizza, and O.G.'s grip on the rope made sure they stayed there.  
  
"Yatta!" Sakura cried. "Eriol-kun's okay!"  
  
O.G. grunted. "Er, can someone help me out here?"  
  
Ruby Moon and Pegasus Uni flew towards the two. Umbriel nodded to her and leapt off towards Ready, and the Moon Guardian took Eriol into her arms and unwrapped the rope. O.G. let go and lowered himself so he and Brandon could get a better look at Eriol.  
  
Sakura and Kerberos flew towards them. "Eriol-kun!" the Cardmistress said excitedly.  
  
The magician's mouth let out a small moan. His eyes opened, and he beheld Sakura, his past life's Sun Guardian, his Moon Guardian, and two of his students riding their Guardians. Blinking, he found they were still there. "Sakura...san?"  
  
"Hai!" Sakura replied.  
  
Ruby Moon flew Eriol to O.G. and held him up, and Brandon found himself face-to-face with the young man who until recently had assumed the duty of teaching him, Ready, and Maya advanced magic as a gesture of peace between former enemy magician orders. He recalled how impressive Hiiragizawa Eriol looked in his dark robes and hat with his golden Sun Staff when they first met. The capsule that held the powerful magician obscured any detail. Now Brandon and the others noticed that Eriol's clothes were ripped and burnt at several places. Eriol himself was paler and skinnier than usual, and his face was marked with a few bruises.  
  
Eriol focused his eyes until he could recognize his student. "Brandon-san, shouldn't you and Ready-san be doing your studies?" he asked.  
  
All Brandon could say was "Heh heh." Nearby on Pegasus Uni, Ready laughed nervously.  
  
Eriol smiled. "Ah well. You two and Maya-san can make it up after we return home," he told his disobedient pupils. "Somehow, I doubt you two would be here by yourselves. Maya-san is always with you."  
  
"She's on the ground," Ruby Moon informed her master.  
  
Eriol faced his rescuer. "Thank you for your help, Umbriel."  
  
Without saying a word, the Darkling bowed solemnly.  
  
"Eriol-kun..." Sakura began to ask.  
  
"I'm fine, Sakura-san," Eriol reassured his friend. "The pain I felt a while ago is gone."  
  
"I'm glad you're all right, Eriol," Ready said. "So will Ms. Mizuki."  
  
Eriol blushed and lowered his head. "Ah, yes," he said. "We'd better hurry."  
  
"Yeah. The kid's fighting Kaizer Cyberon down below," Kerberos reminded everyone.  
  
Sakura gasped. "Syaoran-kun!"  
  
"We need to get down there at once!" Eriol said anxiously.  
  
"Kerberos-san, we need to hurry!" Sakura urged her Sun Guardian.  
  
"Let's go!" Kerberos said as he started flying downward. The others followed him, hoping they were not too late.  
  
Syaoran continued to struggle in the Kaizer's strong grip. "Come now, Mr. Li, it must be hard for you to breathe through that shrinking throat of yours," the Kaizer told him, increasing his grip.  
  
"Hang in there, Syaoran!" Meiling shouted from afar.  
  
All Syaoran could do was let out a "Gggrkk!" *I won't give up!* he thought desperately. *I won't let Sakura down!*  
  
"No final words, Mr. Li?" Kaizer Cyberon asked, getting no response from Syaoran. "A shame, really. The strongest of the Li clan's magic users, and you were no match for me." He heard Syaoran make some noises. "What was that, Mr. Li? Oh well, I'll be this generous just this once," he remarked as he loosened his hold on the Chinese magician's neck.  
  
Syaoran took a chance. He closed his eyes and concentrated. "Ka...shin..." he managed to chant.  
  
He felt the heat on his neck, and he felt Kaizer Cyberon releasing him. Landing on his knees and gasping for air, Syaoran turned around and saw the Kaizer staring at his hand, now engulfed in flames.  
  
"You've got him now, Syaoran!" Meiling cheered, raising her fist and waving it around.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon stared at his flaming appendage, then smiled coldly. Syaoran watched as the fire faded away. Continuing to smile, the Kaizer flexed his hand. Struggling to stay up, Syaoran stared at the Emperor of the Cyber World, amazed at him unharmed by the fire.  
  
"Oh my," Tomoyo said.  
  
Spinel Sun could not take it anymore. "Syaoran, get out of there! Get away from him!"  
  
Syaoran started to rise, but his friends saw he was too weak to fight back. "Come on!" Meiling yelled, dashing forward to aid her cousin. Lupe followed before Maya could stop her, Yue took to the air, and after some hesitation, Spinel Sun flew after him.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon spotted the rescue party heading his way. "I don't think so." Taking his eyes off Syaoran for a moment, he raised his hand. A powerful wind blew towards Meiling and the others. The airborne Guardians were pushed back to Tomoyo and Maya. Lupe ground her paws in, but the wind disposed of her as well. Poor Meiling made a good effort to stay in her place, but was overcome and flew back towards the others. Fortunately for her, Yue managed to land on his two feet, and the Moon Guardian caught her in his arms.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon waved his hand again, and a dome of black energy engulfed Tomoyo-tachi. "Hey, I can't see!" Lupe yelled.  
  
"Oh, I can't record what's happening out there!" Tomoyo lamented.  
  
In the sky, Sakura-tachi spotted the black dome. "What the heck is that?" O.G. asked.  
  
"Kerberos-san, hurry!" Sakura yelled.  
  
Now on her feet, Meiling attacked the dome with her fists. "Syaoran!"  
  
The Guardians tried their attacks, but the dome remained intact. "Nuts, it isn't working!" Lupe shouted in frustration.  
  
Syaoran looked at the dome, then back at his enemy. "What have you done to them?" he demanded.  
  
With a laugh, Kaizer Cyberon waved his hand again, and Syaoran found himself being pushed back against the ground. "Worry about yourself, Mr. Li!" he said evilly as Syaoran came to a complete stop.  
  
Wincing, Syaoran rose to his feet. Dark energy began to emerge from the Kaizer's closed fist, and his red eye shone brightly.  
  
Sakura-tachi were now low enough to see what was going on below. Sakura saw the dome clearly, then her attention switched to a young boy dressed in ripped green and white traditional Chinese garments struggling to stay up.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" she yelled.  
  
Syaoran heard someone call his name from the air, and looking upward, he spotted Sakura on Kerberos followed by Ready and Umbriel on Pegasus Uni, Ruby Moon, and that assassin on his overgrown bear monster with...Syaoran had to blink before he recognized Eriol. *You did it, Sakura. Thank goodness you're all right.* he thought, relieved. Unfortunately, that moment of happiness distracted him.  
  
"Farewell, Mr. Li!" Kaizer Cyberon stretched out his hand. "Shadow Dragon!"  
  
An energy beam in the form of an evil-looking Chinese dragon shot out towards Syaoran, who searched for any ofuda to use. Just as the Shadow Dragon reached him, he found one and held it out in front of him.  
  
"Is Greenbean nuts?" Brandon said.  
  
Sakura found the right Card and activated its power. "Protect the one I love! Shield!"  
  
Shield hurried to the ground and surrounded Syaoran with its protective energy. The Shadow Dragon collided with the magical barrier, but it kept going. The dark energy beam's power was too much for Shield, and cracks began to form quickly on it. Everyone could only watch helplessly as Shield shattered and the Shadow Dragon exploded on its target.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura screamed. 


	19. Chapter 18: And The Cardmistress Stood ...

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 18: And the Cardmistress Stood Alone  
  
Without waiting for Sakura to tell him, Kerberos flew towards the spot where Syaoran once stood. He coughed a little due to the smoke billowing from the place of impact. He made it to the ground just as the others followed him downward.  
  
Sakura leapt off her Sun Guardian and ran towards where she knew Syaoran was. "Syaoran-kun!" she yelled. *No, please. Not Syaoran-kun...*  
  
She heard a cough near her, and after walking in that direction, she found the Chinese magician on his knees. His sword and hat were lying before him, and he seemed to be clutching something in his hand.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura hurried over to him and knelt close to him. His ceremonial robes were worse off than before with more rips and tears. She took his hand, and once he felt her touch, he raised his head and looked at her through half-opened eyes. "Daijobu ka?" the Cardmistress asked.  
  
"I'm...fine," Syaoran answered.  
  
"I'm sorry Shield didn't protect you," Sakura said.  
  
"Don't worry," Syaoran said. His lifted his hand and showed her a charred piece of paper. "This saved me when Shield's power shattered." Both kids watched as the ofuda crumbled into ashes. "Besides, I should be sorry."  
  
"Why, Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Because I didn't defeat Kaizer Cyberon for you," Syaoran replied.  
  
Ready and Brandon ran up to them. "Okay, anyone for scorched veggies?" the Shadowwalker remarked upon seeing the Chinese magician.  
  
Ready shot Brandon a brief glare, then ran next to Syaoran. She and Sakura helped him to his feet. The Guardians came in with Eriol being supported by Ruby Moon.  
  
Syaoran saw the boy who was the reincarnation of his well-known ancestor. "So, you're still alive," he managed to say dryly.  
  
Eriol willed his mouth to form a smile. "As are you, my cute little relative."  
  
O.G. noticed the black dome. "Um, did we miss something here?"  
  
Just as those words left the bear Guardian's mouth, the dome faded away and revealed the others. Resting her fists after a useless pounding of her imposed enclosure, Meiling was about to try again when she noticed she could see her surroundings again.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo cried, running towards her friend with the others. Yue and Spinel Sun were the exceptions; they flew over the others and landed next to Sakura.  
  
"Eriol!" Spinel Sun said with concern. He noticed the poor condition of his master's robes, and he seemed paler than usual. He noted this matched his now frail form. "Are you...?"  
  
"I'll be fine," Eriol said, still smiling faintly. "Thanks to Sakura-san and my students." He looked at Ready. "Just like your father."  
  
Ready grinned at the comment. "So, we're still not in any big trouble?"  
  
"We'll see," Eriol chuckled, almost falling over before Ruby Moon caught him. "I need to come up with makeup work with Kaho."  
  
Yue looked down at the former Clow Read. "It is good to see you are still alive."  
  
"Don't be too presumptuous."  
  
Tomoyo was the first to notice Kaizer Cyberon standing a few feet away from them. Behind him, Algol hovered ominously over the ruined city. Meiling went into a protective stance before Sakura and Syaoran. "You hurt Syaoran!" she declared, glaring at the Emperor of the Cyber World.  
  
"And your point is?" the Kaizer said in his cold voice with his arms crossed before his chest. "I did warn him. He's lucky he's still breathing."  
  
Sakura's hold on Syaoran tightened. Syaoran felt her tremble as she looked upon the Kaizer, whose gaze went in her direction.  
  
"Now then..." The Kaizer stepped forward and went into a slow walk. He seemed to be deliberately taking his time in order to lengthen the suspense.  
  
"Protect Sakura and the others!" Kerberos yelled to his fellow Guardians.  
  
Ruby Moon handed Eriol to Brandon and Maya, then joined the other Guardians in forming a shield in front of their charges. She glared at the approaching Kaizer. "Come on, already!" she snarled.  
  
"We should not rush into this," Spinel Sun warned. "Remember the last time."  
  
Ruby Moon's hand tightened into a fist. Kerberos narrowed his eyes on the Kaizer. "We should attack now!"  
  
"Yeah!" Lupe agreed, baring her teeth.  
  
"C'mon! He's taking too long!" O.G. shouted in frustration.  
  
"We can't just attack him without a plan," Pegasus Uni said.  
  
"We outnumber him, Uni," Lupe said. "We can take him."  
  
"He is a powerful foe," Umbriel said. "We should not underestimate him."  
  
Waiting was not in Ruby Moon's nature, however. With the image of her tortured master in her mind, the butterfly-winged Moon Guardian flew out of the Guardian wall and headed towards the Kaizer.  
  
"Ruby Moon!" Spinel Sun yelled.  
  
"You're mine!" she cried out as she held out her hand and launched a crystal barrage at the Kaizer.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon raised his hand. "Legerdemain." The crystals struck an energy shield and disappeared.  
  
Clenching her teeth and fists, Ruby Moon rushed at the Kaizer and started pounding on the shield. The Kaizer smirked as the Moon Guardian punched and punched.  
  
"Come on!" Kerberos flew forward with Lupe and O.G. "Get clear!" he yelled before unleashing a powerful fire blast. Ruby Moon flew upward and tried another crystal blast. Lupe joined in with her own fire attack, and O.G. wailed on the Kaizer with both cannons.  
  
Looking upward, Kaizer Cyberon smirked. He vanished, and as the attacks on the ground exploded on his former position, he appeared behind Ruby Moon. It took a second for Ruby Moon to realize what happened, but that was all the Kaizer needed.  
  
"Dark Lightning!" he yelled, blasting Ruby Moon before she could react. Dark tendrils of electricity wrapped around her, and she held in her screams to deny her enemy the joy of seeing her suffer. "Hmmmm, getting a sense of deja vu, Guardian?" he asked coolly.  
  
Kerberos aimed for Kaizer Cyberon and shot out a fireball. The Kaizer flew forward and caught Ruby Moon by the neck. Willing herself to fight back, she punched him in the chest with a glowing fist. As he staggered back, Ruby Moon fired crystals from both hands. "Not this time!" she shouted.  
  
The Kaizer used his cape as a shield, then vanished again. Before Ruby Moon knew what happened, she was struck from above by Dark Lightning. The attack was powerful enough to push her to the ground, where she landed hard.  
  
"I'm not liking the looks of this," Brandon admitted.  
  
"Ruby-san!" Sakura shouted.  
  
Ruby Moon slowly got up and ignored the pain in her limbs. With one good eye, she searched for the Emperor of the Cyber World.  
  
"Behind you!" Kerberos warned her.  
  
"Legerdemain!"  
  
Ruby Moon was struck by a barrage of energy balls that caused her to lose her balance. The Kaizer appeared before her and struck her with a glowing fist. The blow was enough to send her flying, and she landed to the right of Sakura-tachi.  
  
"Ruby!" Ready cried, watching as the Moon Guardian attempted to lift herself off the ground. She gave in to the pain and collapsed. Her head turned to her right, and her eyes closed. A red glow emerged from her body, and the battered form of Ruby Moon was replaced by that of Nakuru.  
  
"Just like before," Eriol said solemnly.  
  
The Kaizer looked at the remaining Guardians. "So, who's next?" he asked with an amused smile.  
  
"Buddy, you're going down!" O.G. ran up to the Kaizer and brought his massive fists down on him. The Kaizer leapt out of the way and watched as O.G. punched concrete and gravel. "I don't care if you're just a kid, and I don't care why you did all this," the large bear growled as the Kaizer landed a few feet from him, "but I'm gonna make sure you don't hurt or kill any more people!"  
  
"How noble," Kaizer Cyberon said coldly.  
  
"Rrrrrraaaaaahhhhhhhhh!" O.G. bent down and fired missiles from both of his cannons. Kaizer Cyberon held out his hand, and the missiles froze in place before they could hit him. "Why you little..." O.G. began as he prepared to tackle him, but when he tried to move, he found himself frozen in place. "Hey!"  
  
Kaizer Cyberon looked at the immobile missiles. "I believe these belong to you," he told O.G. "Allow me to return them." With a wave of his hand, the missiles reversed themselves and flew at the Shadowwalker Guardian. The resulting explosions knocked the large bear off his feet, and he crashed hard into the ground. "Dark Lightning!" the Kaizer shouted as he pumped a steady stream of Dark Lightning into the fallen Guardian. "Legerdemain!" he said, changing his attack into a rain of dark energy. A few seconds later, O.G. returned to his plushie-like form.  
  
Seeing his foe beaten, Kaizer Cyberon resumed his march towards Sakura. Kerberos growled and charged the armored magician. Once he was close enough, the winged lion willed himself to let loose the most powerful fire blast he could muster. The attack hit the Kaizer, and Kerberos continued his charge towards the flame-engulfed figure.  
  
Just as the Sun Guardian got closer to the fire, a hand shot out and seized him by the throat. Gasping, Kerberos watched as the Kaizer stepped out of the fire unharmed.  
  
"So, you like fire," the Kaizer said, his red eye glowing as Kerberos continued his struggle to breathe. "Allow me to give you some." Still in the Kaizer's clutches, Kerberos was suddenly engulfed in dark flames. While Sakura-tachi looked horrified at the sight, a wicked grin crossed the Kaizer's pale face. The fire soon burned out, and little Kero-chan was left in Kaizer Cyberon's grasp. "Be gone, plaything!" he said, tossing the little lion away. Poor Kero-chan bounced off the ground a few times before landing next to Nakuru.  
  
Lupe gasped as the Kaizer continued his march. "K-K-K-Kerberos," she whispered, looking in the direction of the fallen Sun Guardian. She wondered if Kero-chan let out a small moan. Then she refocused on Kaizer Cyberon. She bared her sharp teeth as she glared at the enemy magician. A low growl escaped her lips as she assumed a pouncing position.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon stopped in his tracks and folded his arms over his chest. "What is this, an enchanted watchdog?" he remarked, amused at the ferocious wolf in his way.  
  
"Uh, Maya, what's your wolf doing?" Brandon asked.  
  
"She is going to avenge the one she loves," Tomoyo said knowingly. Maya just nodded her agreement.  
  
"Be careful, Lupe-san!" Sakura shouted.  
  
With a roar, Lupe unleashed an ice blast. The attack hit the Kaizer, and Lupe continued to fire on him until he was encased in a thick block of ice.  
  
"Yes!" Meiling cried happily. "That'll show that little wannabe conqueror."  
  
Lupe gasped for air. Catching her breath, she looked at the trapped Emperor of the Cyber World. "That was for you, Kerberos."  
  
The next action was apparently an answer to Lupe. The ice trapping the Kaizer exploded, sending chunks all over the battleground. Everyone stared at the newly liberated Kaizer Cyberon, who seemed unaffected by Lupe's attack.  
  
"Amusing," he said before disappearing.  
  
The remaining Guardians looked for the Kaizer, and he reappeared before Lupe. "Now, let me repay you for your effort," the Kaizer said, raising his hand skyward. Lupe felt the ground shake beneath her. A few seconds later, a beam of dark energy shot out where Lupe was standing and made it impossible for the others to see her save a shadow desperately digging its claws into the ruined concrete. The beam faded away, and Lupe was visible again. Although she was not blasted upward towards the sky, her armor was scorched in several places. With her head up and her eyes still glaring at the Kaizer, it looked like Lupe was still in the fight. Sakura-tachi's expectations were dashed when the wolf Guardian's limbs shook and gave in to weakness, and Lupe fell to the ground. Her tongue rolled out, Lupe emitted a bright light, and the majestic armored wolf was replaced by her false form of a stuffed wolf toy.  
  
"Lupe," Maya whispered, almost losing her hold on Eriol.  
  
"Hmmmmmmm..." The Kaizer surveyed the scene around him. "Four Guardians down, and four left." He eyed the remaining Guardians. "So, who's next?"  
  
None of the Guardians moved, especially Spinel Sun. The memory of what happened the first time he fought the Kaizer was playing in his mind. His limbs seemed to be working against him; they failed to move when he willed them. In fact, he was trembling as the Kaizer waited for his next opponent.  
  
"Well?" The Kaizer looked over the four Guardians. "Ah, the ones who lack fire in their personality. No wonder none of you is coming over to challenge me." Dark energy crackled in his hand. "It looks like I'll have to give you an incentive to fight." Raising his hand again, he fired a single energy blast skyward, and it stopped right over Sakura-tachi and formed a cloud.  
  
Without any hesitation, Yue flew up to the energy cloud. Just as he reached it, it unleashed a shower of deadly energy balls that headed towards Sakura-tachi. Taking aim, the Moon Guardian blasted the balls with crystals. Pegasus Uni flew towards the cloud and took out the cloud with a light beam from her horn. Turning her attention towards the Kaizer, she fired energy stars from her wings. The armored magician responded with using his cape as a shield.  
  
Having protected himself from Pegasus Uni's star barrage, Kaizer Cyberon put down his cape. At the moment he did, Umbriel rushed at him and delivered a kick aimed at the Kaizer's chest. It hit the intended target, and the Kaizer stumbled to the ground.  
  
"Destroy his helmet!" Syaoran managed to shout. "It's the source of his power!"  
  
Umbriel nodded and raised his sword for the crucial strike. He had hoped to slice the Kaizer's helmet in half without harming him, but he vanished just as the blade descended towards its target. The Darkling watched as his weapon made contact with the ground.  
  
"Behind you!" he heard his mistress cry out.  
  
Umbriel moved in time to avoid being stabbed in the back by Kaizer Cyberon. Turning around, he saw the Kaizer with his sword ready to strike. "Not bad," he remarked. "But in the end, you will join your fellow Guardians."  
  
Kaizer Cyberon thrust his blade at the Darkling, and Umbriel leapt back, giving Yue and Pegasus Uni a clear shot at the Kaizer. Crystals and star shots rained down on the Emperor of the Cyber World, who used the tried-and-true tactic of the cape shield. Seeing that the Kaizer was occupied, Spinel Sun steeled himself and joined in with a red light beam. The attack hit the Kaizer as he blocked the aerial attacks, but it had the same effectiveness as theirs-not much.  
  
Seeing that their attacks were futile, the Guardians ceased fire. Kaizer Cyberon lowered his cape and glared at Spinel Sun. "Trying to make up for last time?" he inquired cruelly. "I must admit, I thought you would just let your fellow Guardians fight me, but you gathered enough courage to try to defeat me. That deserves a reward." As he spoke, his blade shone brightly. "Your suffering will be brief! Cyber Cutter!"  
  
Kaizer Cyberon unleashed an energy wave at Spinel Sun. Standing his ground, he fired again, and a crimson beam of light collided with the Cyber Cutter. Both pushed against each other, sending sparks of energy out. Sakura-tachi watched as Spinel's beam slowly edged out the Cyber Cutter. For a moment, Sakura's eyes were filled with hope.  
  
Then, the Kaizer destroyed that hope. He swung his sword again and sent out another Cyber Cutter that merged with its predecessor, making it larger. The combined attack gained the power advantage, and Spinel Sun began to feel the strain of expending so much energy. Another swing sent a third Cyber Cutter, and the attack got bigger. A final Cyber Cutter granted the Kaizer's attack an even larger form, and it proved too much for the Sun Guardian. The combined Cyber Cutter sliced through the red beam, and Sakura-tachi helplessly watched as it cleaved through Spinel Sun.  
  
"Spinel-san!" Sakura shouted.  
  
"No..." Eriol tried to break free and summon his staff, but he stumbled on his ruined robes, forcing Brandon and Maya to hold him tighter than before.  
  
"Suppi!" Ready screamed.  
  
For a brief moment, Spinel Sun felt like he was being torn apart. His mind pulled out a memory when he was sitting by Nakuru while she was watching some classical cartoons on British television. He recalled one cartoon where a stereotypical vile villain was switched with his victim by the hero and ended up being sliced in half on a conveyer belt rigged with a buzzsaw. The villain, a cat in a black suit who Spinel Sun saw as portraying cats in a bad light, ended up getting off his trap while trying to stay together. Later, he snapped back together only to get an anvil dropped on him courtesy of the mouse hero. The Sun Guardian had wondered how it would feel to be like that cat at that particular moment. As the pain intensified, he wished he had never had that thought.  
  
Fortunately, two things happened. One was that the pain quickly vanished. The other was that being a magical being, Spinel Sun did not leave a symmetrically split corpse. Instead, the Sun Guardian exploded, expending his magic. Immediately, Suppi-chan crashed to the ground face first, twitched momentarily, and became still except for the rising and falling of his back. To everyone's relief, Suppi-chan made a little sound now and then.  
  
"Thank goodness," Tomoyo whispered, checking over the fallen Sun Guardian through her camera lens.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon gazed upon his latest victory, then returned his attention to the three remaining Guardians. "As for you, I will make you wish you were taken out as quickly as your friend."  
  
Glaring at the Kaizer with his red eyes, Umbriel charged him with his sword out. Yue and Pegasus Uni flew at him, ready to fire. Seeing this triple threat, the Kaizer made his sword disappear. He leapt into the air just as Umbriel swung at him. "Legerdemain!" he said, and a Worm appeared and wrapped itself around the Darkling Guardian. As the Kaizer hovered in the air before Yue and Pegasus Uni, his hands began to crackle with dark energy.  
  
"Now!" Pegasus Uni cried, firing a blast from her horn. Yue joined in with double crystal shots.  
  
"Dark Lightning!" Kaizer Cyberon's hands unleashed twin bolts of the lethal attack at targets. The Dark Lightning nullified the incoming attacks and struck their points of origin. Trapped, Yue and Pegasus Uni struggled to escape as they felt the painful effects of the Dark Lightning. They also tried to not give the Kaizer any satisfaction of hearing them scream; both Guardians clenched their teeth tightly as the Dark Lightning crackled through their bodies. Unnoticed by the others, Umbriel broke free of the Worm, but the poisonous Cyber had grabbed his sword with its tail, and the Darkling was trying to retrieve it while avoiding the snapping jaws of the snake-like robot.  
  
"Ganbatte, Yue-san!"  
  
"Hang in there, Uni!"  
  
Hearing their mistresses' words of encouragement, the two Guardians continued their struggle to escape and increased their efforts to ignore the steadily growing pain. Yue managed to move one arm and fire a crystal shot at the Kaizer. Unfortunately, his aim was off, and the crystals flew helplessly over the Kaizer's head.  
  
"What's this? Still resisting?" Kaizer Cyberon increased the power of the Dark Lightning. "Not for long. Oh, I know you're suffering. You can't hide it from me. All I have to do is break you." As he spoke, his red eye glowed brighter as he increased the Dark Lightning's power. "Come now, Guardians. Scream for me. Scream for the most powerful magician on the Earth!"  
  
The last word was punctuated with a powerful surge of Dark Lightning. The Guardian's resistance finally broke. Unable to break free, Pegasus Uni finally let out a scream of pain that made Ready cry out her Guardian's name. Yue's arm failed to produce another attack, but he continued to stay silent. But as more Dark Lightning was pumped into him, his teeth loosened, and a minute passed before he fulfilled the Kaizer's evil command.  
  
*Forgive me, Sakura,* Yue thought as his mouth released all the screams he had held in.  
  
Seeing an opening, Umbriel grabbed the Worm by its throat and grasped it tightly, making it gasp loudly. A few shakes made the snake-like Cyber drop his sword, which promptly returned to him. With one slice at its neck, he sent the Worm to the state of nothingness. With that nuisance gone, he turned his attention to the plight of his fellow Guardians.  
  
"Delicious," Kaizer Cyberon remarked as he listened to the screams of the Guardians. "Divine, really." Thinking he saw Pegasus Uni passing out, he said, "Oh no, not yet. I don't want you to go into your false form yet." He looked down and noticed Umbriel, who was getting ready to jump. "Feeling left out, Darkling?" he asked. "Allow me to remedy that!"  
  
Before Umbriel could even move, Kaizer Cyberon swung his arms together and smashed the Darkling between the two trapped Guardians. His grin widened across his pale face as he beheld three Guardians trapped in his Dark Lightning and the screams emanating from them.  
  
"No..." Ready said softly. "Uni...Umbriel..." She felt tears beginning to gather at the corner of her eyes, but she would be damned if she allowed herself to give the Emperor of the Cyber World the satisfaction of seeing her break down.  
  
Contrary to Ready, Sakura let the tears flow down her cheeks. "Stop it! Stop it!" she shouted pleadingly to the Kaizer.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon heard the Cardmistress. "It is getting boring," he said firmly. With a final blast of Dark Lightning, the trapped Guardians exploded before Sakura-tachi's eyes. When all was visible, Sakura could see two human-like shapes and a small toy-like object falling to the ground. Yukito fell to one side. Umbriel, still in his true form but with a charred cape and badly scorched armor, fell to his knees, then to the ground. Pegasus Uni, now in her false form, dropped to the ground as gravity steered her that way.  
  
"He...defeated them all," Syaoran said.  
  
Sakura sniffled as she felt moisture roll down her cheeks. "Yukito-san," she whispered. Bending her head down, she sobbed loudly. After a moment, she raised her head and screamed "Yukito-san!" Now all she wanted was to help Yukito and the other fallen Guardians get away from the young man dressed in armor. "Meiling-chan," she started to tell Syaoran's cousin, "take care of Syaoran-kun while I..."  
  
"Don't, Sakura-san," Eriol managed to say as he remained supported by Brandon and Maya.  
  
Flashing a big grin, Kaizer Cyberon lowered himself to the ground. "Now that I've dispatched your so-called Guardians, it's time for me to claim my prize," he announced as he resumed his march.  
  
Holding Syaoran close to her, Sakura took in the sight of all the defeated Guardians. She did not know Umbriel and other three animal Guardians, but she knew they came to Tokyo because of her. Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon were initially her enemies, but they became good friends. Her eyes finally laid on Kero-chan and Yukito. Kero-chan may have tricked her into become the Cardcaptor, but he was always there for her. Yue started out as hostile towards her in his role as the Judge, but he eventually accepted her. As Yukito, he was her brother's best friend and her first love until Syaoran admitted his feelings for her. The unconscious forms of all her friends were too much for the Cardmistress, and she continued to cry. Ignoring his own pain, Syaoran hugged Sakura and tried to comfort her.  
  
Clutching her Starlighter Staff tightly, Ready looked at all the fallen Guardians. Her eyes went to Nakuru, and she recalled how the neutral gendered creature loved to shop for the finest in girls' clothing with her and her friends. Next was Suppi-chan, and she remembered how serious he acted and when Brandon decided to slip a chocolate in his oatmeal. Upon laying eyes on O.G., she recalled how he served his master before and after she and Brandon became friends. She looked at Lupe, and she remembered when she created and gave her to Maya after the budding inventor found out she was a Starlighter. She saw Sakura's defeated Guardians, and she recalled Eriol's tale of how valiantly they defended their mistress when the reincarnation of Clow Read put all of Tomoeda to sleep. Finally, she saw her own Guardians. She remembered how happy she was when Pegasus Uni was created just for her. She could still remember Umbriel watching over her as a little girl and making sure she stayed out of trouble, although he ended up spring her out of trouble. Now all of them had been defeated by a kid magician like her with delusions of grandeur with the power to make them come true and an apparent hatred for humanity, and he was on his way to claim the most powerful magical objects in the world for his own sinister goals.  
  
Ready forced herself to look away from the Guardians and told herself that she saw signs of life in them. She looked briefly at the crying Sakura with Syaoran trying to comfort her. Her grip on her Staff becoming tighter, she faced the incoming Kaizer. Without looking back at Sakura and the others, she ran out to meet him.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon stopped. "Well, well, well. What is this? A willing victim?"  
  
"Ready, wait!" Brandon handed Eriol to Maya, who tried to keep the injured magician on his feet. While Tomoyo joined in to help Eriol stay up, the young Shadowwalker made an energy blade shoot out of his weapon and ran after his friend.  
  
Meiling watched as the two young magicians raced towards the Kaizer. She looked at Sakura and Syaoran, and her hands tightened into fists. With a battle cry, she ran after Ready and Brandon.  
  
"Meiling-chan! Matte!" Sakura shouted.  
  
"Meiling, no..." Syaoran said.  
  
"Ready, Brandon! Come back!" Maya pleaded.  
  
Ready reached the Kaizer first. "I've had enough of you!" the young Starlighter shouted, leaping into the air. The tip of her Staff glowed as she raised it in the air, about to strike.  
  
"Legerdemain!" The Kaizer held out his hand, and poor Ready froze in midair just as she was about to smash his helmet. "Really, I must assume you weren't paying attention to the previous battle," he said, amused at the sight of Ready grunting and trying to move. "I'm afraid you must be punished." With another wave of his hand, he made Ready fly over towards the others who stayed behind. Sakura watched as her new friend crashed a few inches from she and Syaoran were standing. The young Starlighter tried to stand up, but she succumbed to the pain and slumped to the ground, her Staff falling besides her.  
  
Brandon and Meiling froze when Ready had been stopped in midair, and they had watched as she was flung back toward the others. For a few seconds, Brandon stood there and simply looked at Ready lying on the ground. He closed his eyes and held back the tears, then turned around. As Meiling continued to stare at the defeated Starlighter, Brandon charged at Kaizer Cyberon with his Shadowwalker Rod ready to strike.  
  
"Hmmm, another one," the Kaizer said, sounding amused.  
  
As Brandon rushed at the Kaizer, he made a swing for his head. The Kaizer stepped back and avoided another wild swing. "What's the matter? Did I hurt your friend?" he taunted as he dodged swing after swing.  
  
"Hold still, damn it!" Brandon yelled in frustration as he kept swinging.  
  
Meiling ran towards the two magicians as quickly as she could. The Kaizer stopped, and Brandon lunged at him. The armored magician held out his hand, and the young Shadowwalker was pushed back by an unseen force. He ended up landing near Sakura's left side. Sakura gasped as he watched Brandon fall back down after trying to get up.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon smiled smugly at his recently dispatched foe, but his silent celebration was interrupted by knock to his chest. Meiling had rushed in and delivered a punch with all the force she could muster. Before she could go for the helmet, the Kaizer flew back and landed a few feet away. He riased his cape, then he opened it and launched a barrage of fireballs at the young fighter. Meiling chose to stay on the ground and ran around the resulting explosions. One exploded before her, and as the Kaizer tried to see if she was down, Meiling leapt through the smoke and delivered a flying kick to the Kaizer's chest, sending him reeling a little.  
  
Recovering his balance, Kaizer Cyberon glared at his latest opponent. "Annoying little insect," he snarled as he fired an energy blast from his hand, which Meiling adeptly dodged. "You humans just don't know when to quit!" he yelled as he kept firing on her.  
  
Meiling made her way through the blasts and reappeared before the Kaizer. "You hurt Syaoran and everyone else and made Kinomoto cry!" she declared with fire burning in her eyes. She attacked with a flurry of punches, which the Kaizer stepped away from while blocking. "I'm going to make you pay for that!"  
  
"With what?" the Kaizer asked as he hovered away from the battling martial artist. "With your fancy fighting moves?" he said mockingly as he landed a few feet from Sakura-tachi. "Your friends possessed magical powers, and you saw what happened to them. What makes you, a little girl with no magical powers, any different from the other bugs?"  
  
"I'll show you what this little girl can do!" Meiling yelled as she ran towards the Kaizer. Leaping into the air, she soared towards him with one foot out.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon stepped aside and grabbed Meiling's foot. "Not much I see," he remarked as he held her tightly upside down.  
  
"No! Meiling-chan!" Sakura cried.  
  
"Meiling..." Syaoran said quietly.  
  
Meiling tried to break out of the Kaizer's grip, but he was too strong for her. "Join the other human vermin!" he yelled as he flung her towards Eriol, Tomoyo, and Maya.  
  
Maya held out her ring hand. Her plan was to summon a wind that could stop Meiling and bring her to the ground safely. Unfortunately, she never executed it. Meiling bowled her, Tomoyo, and the injured Eriol over, and all four people landed on the ground in a big pile with the martial artist and the master magician on top. On the bottom, Tomoyo was laid out with her camcorder next to her. The tool of her "strange" hobby was badly damaged and now exhibited a broken lens and a dented body. Sakura saw that her best friend was not moving underneath the human mass.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura screamed, and she tried to carry Syaoran with her to tend to her friend.  
  
"Sakura!" Syaoran shouted, raising his head. Sakura stopped in her tracks as Kaizer Cyberon appeared between her and her friends.  
  
"Well, that was a nice spot of exhilarating exercise," the Emperor of the Cyber World said. "But enough fun. Give me what I want, Cardmistress." Holding out his open hand emphasized his point.  
  
Willing himself to fight, Syaoran broke away from Sakura. He ignored the pain in his body and was about to attack the Kaizer with his sword. He never got to make a move. The Kaizer teleported in front of him and seized him by the neck. All the Chinese magician could do was gasp as he was lifted from the ground.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!"  
  
Sakura screaming his name made Syaoran fight the impending blackout. Through narrowed eyes, he glared at the Kaizer. He felt his grip on his sword loosen, and he heard it clang as it hit the ground.  
  
"So, I haven't quite extinguished your fighting spirit yet, eh, Mr. Li?" the Kaizer said, enjoying himself as Syaoran struggled to keep breathing. "A pity you weren't much of a challenge. The data I have on you said you were the strongest magician of the Li Clan. Now when I look at you, I ask myself why I even bothered to scan your sword's data."  
  
"Let Syaoran-kun go!" Sakura pleaded, clutching the Star Wand tightly.  
  
"Sakura, st...!" Syaoran felt the Kaizer's grip tighten, and all he could do was gurgle.  
  
"You know, Mr. Li, I could just snap your neck right now," Kaizer Cyberon informed him. "However, I prefer to extend your suffering as well as Miss Kinomoto's. It's more...delicious that way." With a sneer, he tossed Syaoran towards Sakura, and he landed at her feet.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura bent down to see how her love was doing. "Syaoran-kun, daijobu ka?" she asked as she looked into his eyes, which fought to stay open. From her view, the Chinese magician was fading fast. "Syaoran-kun?" She felt more tears roll down her cheeks. Syaoran's eyes finally closed, and Sakura hugged him tightly and cried, feeling his body move faintly.  
  
"Pathetic."  
  
Moistened, Sakura's eyes switched from Syaoran to the looming form of Kaizer Cyberon. "W-W-What?" the Cardmistress said.  
  
"Look at you," the Kaizer said, disgusted. "Why are you crying over this broken little boy?"  
  
"Because," Sakura said, sniffling, "because I love him." She sniffled again as she wiped away the tears. "He loves me, and I love him. We were meant to be together forever."  
  
The Kaizer chuckled, then broke out into cruel laughter that echoed around him. "Cardmistress, you are so naïve. If-and I do emphasize 'if'-you do survive this and he does not, you can always find another boy to profess your love to." Sakura caught a tinge of hatred from the way the Kaizer said "love." "To use an old cliché," the Kaizer continued, "there are other fish in the sea. Your little boyfriend, like all humans, is replaceable."  
  
"No, that's not true!" Sakura shouted, still holding Syaoran tightly. "You're wrong! Syaoran-kun is my one and only true love!"  
  
Kaizer Cyberon laughed cruelly at the Cardmistress' assertions. "You little fool, there is no such thing as true love!" he declared.  
  
Sakura sniffled again. She felt her eyes filling with moisture as she looked up at the armored form of the Emperor of the Cyber World. "Why are you so cruel?" she asked softly. "Why do you hate people so much? Why do you like to hurt them?"  
  
The Kaizer glared down at the Cardmistress. His hand tightened into a fist at his side. He clenched his teeth, and a low snarl escaped his mouth. Sakura noticed that his red eye glowed intensely. "You little brat!" he said, nearly spitting out the words. His fist crackled with dark energy. "I will delight in your suffering, then I'll take..."  
  
Sakura watched as the Kaizer was knocked down from behind. Landing on his hands and knees, the Kaizer kept himself from kissing concrete. Still holding Syaoran, Sakura saw who the attacker was.  
  
Leaning on his Sun Staff, Hiiragizawa Eriol looked down at Kaizer Cyberon. "I won't let you harm Sakura-san," the Kaizer's ex-prisoner intoned, his eyes narrowing at the young megalomaniac.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon levitated from his spot and faced the reincarnation of Clow Read. "Did my interrogator take away your common sense, old man?" he said scornfully. "My power exceeds yours and even that of Clow Read, remember?"  
  
"Your power should not even exist," Eriol said matter-of-factly. "I'm stopping you before you collect them all."  
  
Watching the Kaizer's back, Sakura saw him double over with laughter. "I see you've inherited Clow Read's sense of humor, old man, but not even you can stop me from unleashing the beautiful night."  
  
*I've heard that phrase before,* Sakura thought. *What does Kaizer Cyberon mean by "the beautiful night"?*  
  
A ball of energy came to life over Eriol's Staff. "For the sake of reality, I won't let you do that."  
  
Kaizer Cyberon raised his hand. Sakura gasped as Syaoran was lifted off the ground by an unseen force and taken away from her. The unconscious Chinese magician floated to the Kaizer's front. "Care to change that, Mr. Hiiragizawa?" the Emperor of the Cyber World asked, keeping Syaoran in front of him.  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Sakura screamed.  
  
Frustrated, Eriol made the energy ball vanish. "You..."  
  
"Such sentiment should be purged from your thinking, Mr. Hiiragizawa," the Kaizer commented. "Fortunately for me, I've done that a long time ago."  
  
Without warning, Syaoran sped towards Eriol. With no time to react, the master magician was knocked down by the flying body, and both boys fell to the ground. The surprise attack knocked Eriol out, and his Staff became a Key before hitting the ground.  
  
"Eriol-kun! Syaoran-kun!" Sakura cried.  
  
The Kaizer turned around. "I'm afraid they can't help you now, Cardmistress." He motioned around him. "No one can help you. You're all alone now, Miss Kinomoto."  
  
Sakura got to her feet hurriedly and pulled out a Sakura Card. "Windy!" she called as she released its magic with her Wand.  
  
Windy flew at the Kaizer and wrapped itself around him. It tightened its grip to keep him away from its mistress. The Kaizer only smiled, and dark energy surged from him and into Windy. The Sakura Card flickered, then exploded into energy and dissipated. That nuisance gone, Kaizer Cyberon continued on his way.  
  
"Watery!" Sakura called, and Watery rushed forward to strike the Kaizer with its charging waves. The Kaizer raised his hand, and Watery stopped in its tracks. To Sakura's astonishment, Watery began to boil, then gradually became steam.  
  
"You're only delaying your fate!" the Kaizer called to Sakura. "I suggest you hand me the Cards and Key instead of playing these parlor tricks on me!"  
  
"Hoooooeeeeeee..." Nearly panicking, Sakura searched through her deck of Sakura Cards.  
  
"Since you're taking too long..." The Kaizer's sword reappeared in his hand. "I'll just help myself!" he declared as he flew towards the Cardmistress.  
  
Sakura snatched the first Card she saw. "Dash!" Before the Kaizer's blade struck, she sped away.  
  
"Clever," Kaizer Cyberon remarked. He tracked Sakura with his red eye. "However, your speed won't save you. Cyber Cutter!"  
  
The attack exploded inches from Sakura as she continued running. That was the case for the following Cyber Cutters. Feeling exhausted, Sakura stopped to catch her breath. The break lasted only a few seconds before she had to dash away to avoid another Cyber Cutter. *I can't keep doing this,* she told herself. As she continued avoiding the Kaizer's attacks, she searched through her Cards. *There must be a Card I can use on him.*  
  
"You can't continue at that pace for long, Cardmistress!" Kaizer Cyberon said as he launched Cyber Cutter after Cyber Cutter. "Sooner or later, you'll have to stop again!"  
  
Finally, Sakura found a Card she felt she could use. *I hope this works.*  
  
Kaizer Cyberon watched as Sakura changed direction and headed towards him. "Well, at least you're facing death bravely, Miss Kinomoto!" he said, preparing to cut her down with another Cyber Cutter.  
  
Knowing what to do, the super-fast Cardmistress charged the Emperor of the Cyber World. When Sakura was only a few feet away, Kaizer Cyberon fired the Cyber Cutter. Just as the attack neared her, Sakura jumped over it and appeared before the Kaizer.  
  
"What?" Kaizer Cyberon exclaimed.  
  
"Power!"  
  
Before the Kaizer could switch his attack, Sakura brought her Star Wand down on his crown. A loud smash later, cracks began to form on the helmet, and Sakura took a step back. Dropping his sword, the Kaizer clutched his face mask, and he gritted his teeth. As his sword disappeared after spending a few seconds on the ground, the cracks on his helmet spread. Small sounds of pain slipped through the narrow spaces between his teeth, and a tired Sakura was treated to the helmet slowly crumbling into pieces. A second later, all of the helmet-face mask and crown--popped into oblivion, leaving the Kaizer's head exposed. With the Kaizer's gloved hand over his face, Sakura could not see what he looked like, but she could see some of his pale skin and blond hair trimmed properly.  
  
*Thank goodness,* she thought, relieved that she destroyed the helmet. She sunk to her knees and caught her breath. *Now everything will be fine. Syaoran-kun will be fine. Tomoyo will be fine. Everyone will be fine. Without the helmet, Algol will disappear, and...*  
  
Sakura looked up, and her eyes widened in shock. The giant Cyber still hovered above the area. Only some sounds of chuckling from in front of her made her look at Kaizer Cyberon. She saw him break out into laughter behind his hand.  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura said, tired.  
  
"Silly little girl," the Kaizer said, still covering his face. "Although you made a clever move, it still isn't over yet." As he spoke, a transparent shape began to form around his head. The crown reappeared on his head, and when he removed his hand, the face mask was back in place.  
  
"Hoooooooeeeeeeeee!" Sakura cried, rising quickly. "B-b-but your helmet..."  
  
"You thought destroying my helmet would stop me? That it would take away my powers?" the Kaizer asked, grinning evilly. "I'm afraid you miscalculated, Cardmistress. Now you'll pay for your error."  
  
Before Sakura could do anything, the Kaizer vanished. She looked around, trying to see where he went. A booming voice from above answered her concerns.  
  
"I'm up here, Cardmistress!"  
  
Looking skyward, Sakura found herself looking at Algol. A Window with the Kaizer's face appeared in her line of sight.  
  
"Since you have proven yourself stubborn in submitting to my will, all of Tokyo will suffer!" the Kaizer announced. Simulating a video camera utilizing a reverse zoom option or backing away from its subject, the Window revealed that he was standing on top of Algol's head. "Algol, full power! Reduce this miserable city to a smoking crater!"  
  
The Window vanished. Algol rose higher, and once it was high enough, it tilted forward. Sakura saw its eyes glowing intensely. She knew what was next, and this time it was no simple demonstration. This time, people would definitely be in the target area, and they included Sakura and her fallen friends.  
  
Clutching her Star Wand closely and watching Algol anxiously, the Cardmistress thought, *What can I do?* 


	20. Chapter 19: Last Stand

The Enemy Revealed  
Chapter 19: Last Stand  
  
Through the enhanced vision of his red eye, Kaizer Cyberon could make out the Cardmistress on the ground below. He smirked at her helplessness. "Soon, Miss Kinomoto, you and the rest of the human insects will be exterminated, and I will have your Cards and Key."  
  
He heard two people landing behind him. Turning around, he found Database and Cyberus. Both looked damaged, but still emanated a sense of power.  
  
"Well, what took you two so long?" the Kaizer asked.  
  
"My apologies, Majesty," Database said, bowing his head. "We were rather thrown away by the organic filth."  
  
"Well, you're both in time to witness the end of Tokyo," the Kaizer said. "In a few moments, Algol will unleash his full fury and obliterate every building and insect, including the Cardmistress and her little friends."  
  
"But what about the Cards and Key?" Cyberus asked. "Won't Algol destroy them along with the city?"  
  
"They'll be the only survivors," the Kaizer answered. "Their magic power will protect them from Algol's blast. A shame they won't be able to protect their mistress." He smiled at that thought. "Soon, I will be able to give this world what it deserves." He raised his fist in the air. "I will give it the beautiful night!"  
  
The glow in Algol's eyes increased as if on cue. As he waited, Kaizer Cyberon returned to watching Sakura on the ground.  
  
Sakura had all her Cards out and was looking for one that could stop Algol from destroying Tokyo. *I could use Big to grow, but Algol's too high up. I could use Time to freeze everything, but it takes too much power, and it might not work. Mirror broke last time against Psycho. Shield definitely won't work.* She looked upward and saw that Algol's eyes were brighter. *Hoeee! It'll fire soon, and I don't know what Card I can use against it!* She looked at Tomoyo, the fallen Guardians, and the newcomers. *I'm sorry, minna. So sorry...* Her eyes finally rested on Eriol and Syaoran. *Oh, Eriol-kun, I wish you could help me, but you're hurt because of me.* Her eyes lingered on Syaoran. *Syaoran-kun, I'm so sorry. I wish I could save you and everyone else, but I can't. I can't!* Unable to take it anymore, she broke down into tears.  
  
Above the city, Kaizer Cyberon laughed. "That's it, Miss Kinomoto. Wallow in your pathetic self-pity. Soon, I'll have what I need to fulfill my ultimate dream."  
  
Sakura looked skyward and saw Algol's eyes. She swore the light coming from them was brighter than before. *I can't do it!* her mind cried in frustration. * I need everyone now, and they're all unconscious. I just can't...!*  
  
Then, her dream came back to her. "Hey, don't worry. We'll be there for you." She knew now that was Ready's voice. *But you're not able to help me now.* "Yeah, we can take this bozo on!" Recognizing Brandon's voice, she thought, *But I'm all alone.* "If we stick together, we cannot be beaten." Maya's assertion seemed impossible to Sakura with everyone lying on the ground around her. "You're not alone, Sakura."  
  
Sakura froze at hearing Syaoran's voice in her head. She remembered how gentle it sounded in her dream. *Syaoran-kun's right. I'm not alone.* She looked at the Cards. *I still have you, my Sakura Cards.* Looking again at all her unconscious friends, she thought, *They did their best to protect me. I can't let them down! I won't!* She looked at Algol, with its eyes now near their brightest. "I won't!" she yelled.  
  
"What's this?" the Kaizer asked, amused. "The little girl finally developed a backbone? Well, Algol, we'll just have to snap it in two. Prepare to fire!"  
  
Sakura watched as Algol's eyes glowed. She knew she needed to act soon. "Please help me," she said to the Cards. "If any one of you can help me fight, please come out."  
  
Hearing her plea, one Card floated out of the deck and into her free hand. Sakura looked at it closely. "Arigato," she told the Card softly. "Please do your best."  
  
"Fire!"  
  
The Kaizer's command echoed around the ruined city. Sakura readied her Wand and tossed the Card upward. "Light!" she cried, striking the Card.  
  
Algol unleashed its powerful eye blast, and it sped towards where Sakura was standing. At the same time, a beam of intense light shot out from the Star Wand and flew out to meet it. Both beams collided in midair and illuminated the ruined city.  
  
Behind his mask, the Kaizer's eyes widened. "What? How?"  
  
Database analyzed the situation. "I believe this is the Light Card, Majesty. It is one of the strongest cards in her deck."  
  
Kaizer Cyberon watched as the two beams fought for supremacy. "I don't recall Light having this power, Database."  
  
"Apparently, it is trying its best to help her mistress stop us from destroying the city," Database conjectured. "Perhaps it has tapped into potential it never knew it had."  
  
"Bah!" the Kaizer said. "She's just delaying the inevitable!"  
  
Sakura gripped her Star Wand tightly as Light continued pushing against Algol's beam. "Light-san, ganbatte!" she yelled encouragingly. "I believe in you!"  
  
Light heard its mistress, and increased its efforts. To Sakura's delight and the Kaizer's dismay, Light pushed harder and began to advance forward. Algol's beam was losing the struggle, and Light was shoving it back towards its origin.  
  
"I'm afraid all this effort is for naught, Cardmistress!" Kaizer Cyberon held out his hand. "Shadow Dragon!"  
  
The Shadow Dragon shot out of the Kaizer's hand and merged with Algol's beam, turning it black. His red eye glowing, the Kaizer increased the beams strength, and soon Light was on the losing side. Algol's increased power pushed the Sakura Card back, and soon the beam was heading back towards the ground.  
  
Sakura fell to one knee and struggled to hold off the incoming beam. She felt the Star Wand heat up in her hands. "I can't give up!" she cried, straining to keep Light active. "For everyone I care about, I can't!"  
  
The black beam got past the skyline and was about a few feet away from striking the ground. Light continued to push on, but it began to weaken as Algol's beam advanced.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon increased his power further, and he smiled smugly as Sakura began to waver. "Just a little further," he said, "and this nest of insects will be nothing but a memory."  
  
"Please, Light-san," Sakura told the Sakura Card. "Everyone is counting on you. You can't just give up."  
  
"On the contrary, Cardmistress, that's what you should do!" the Kaizer declared from above. "With the power of my Shadow Dragon, Algol's beam is overpowering your puny Light Card. It's clear your light cannot defeat my darkness."  
  
Sakura kept herself from falling under the pressure of the incoming dark beam. She did her best not to fully kneel before the onslaught. *I can't give up! Syaoran-kun, Tomoyo-chan, Eriol-kun, and everyone else is counting on me!* She saw the dark beam push even closer. *Oh, it's almost here!* She felt her arms tire, but she fought the need to rest. "Please," she addressed the Cards. "If there is another one who can help Light-san..."  
  
"You don't have any Cards that can help you!" the Kaizer proclaimed. "You should have just given them to me when you had the chance. Instead, I will take them from what will be left of your pathetic corpse!"  
  
Sakura felt the beam push harder. "I can't give up! I won't let Syaoran-kun and the others down." She struggled to her feet, and Light pushed the dark beam back slightly. "I possess the invincible spell."  
  
Kaizer Cyberon snickered as Sakura stood straight up. "Fine, you can die on your feet!"  
  
Sakura dug her feet into the ground and focused on the incoming dark beam. "I possess the invincible spell," she whispered. She remembered everyone who did their best to protect her. "I possess the invincible spell!"  
  
As those words left her lips, a Sakura Card flew out of her deck and into her beam of light. Sakura recognized the Card before it joined with Light. "Hope?" she wondered.  
  
"Hmph. One Card?" the Kaizer commented with a smirk. "That'll save the city."  
  
Database surveyed the scene below. "Majesty, I'm detecting an increase in power from the Cardmistress!" he reported urgently.  
  
"What?" The Kaizer glared down at Sakura. His red eye picked up the power surge. "That can't be!"  
  
Sakura gasped as she began to glow, and Light became brighter. The Cardmistress' side of the beam surged forward, pushing away the darkness. Light pushed further, and the two beams now met halfway between the city and Algol. The sky alternated between light and dark.  
  
"You miserable little insect!" the Kaizer yelled, increasing the power of the Shadow Dragon. "You can't defeat me! I am the Emperor of the Cyber World!"  
  
The black beam pushed back against Light, and it seemed the enhanced Sakura Card would be driven down into the city. With the glow surrounding her increasing, Sakura stood her ground, and Light pushed even harder. The young Cardmistress fixed her eyes on the thing programmed to kill everyone, including those she held dear.  
  
Atop of Eriol, Syaoran finally stirred after being used as a human dodgeball by the Kaizer. Seeing that he was on top of Eriol, he instinctively wretched and semi-jumped off the unconscious magician. Recovering from his ordeal of touching Eriol, Syaoran beheld a spectacular sight as he got to his feet. Two beams of light and dark met in a large bulge in the sky, with both trying to assert the fate of Tokyo. Above, he saw Algol emitting the dark beam. He followed its path into its lighter part, and he found a glowing Sakura holding her Star Wand up at the gigantic Cyber. He wanted to go over there and help her, even hold her hand, but a part of his brain told him to stay where he was. It told him not to distract her. *Ganbatte, Sakura,* he thought.  
  
With a determined look on her face, Sakura held her Wand tightly at Algol, and Light began to push harder. She saw the faces of everyone who tried to help her. *Eriol-kun, Nakuru-san, Spinel-san...* Light inched forward. *Brighton-san, Darque-san, Torres-san...* The dark beam began to budge. *Umbriel-san and the other Guardians...* Light pushed harder. *Kero-chan, Yukito-san...* The dark beam moved back dramatically, and the Kaizer's eyes went wide behind his mask. *Tomoyo-chan...* Light shoved its way toward Algol, and the dark beam slowly retreated. The final face flashed before Sakura's eyes, and Syaoran watched as she yelled, "SYAORAN-KUN!"  
  
Bolstered by new power, Light shoved harder into Algol's beam, and the latter was pushed back towards its origin. The darkness began to fade in the presence of the incoming light. Feeling the light crawl up through the Shadow Dragon, Kaizer Cyberon winced as he yanked his arm away. The beam, now dominated by Light, sped towards Algol and before the Kaizer could act, it rammed into Algol's chest, spreading a web of cracks and setting off a series of explosions around the Cyber.  
  
"Impossible!" Kaizer Cyberon yelled as he shielded his eyes from the light and the explosions surrounding him. "Impossible!" Behind him, Database and Cyberus followed suit and tried to avoid being blinded by the light. Being three-headed, Cyberus had difficulty doing so with only two claws.  
  
The Kaizer's voice was overwhelmed by the loud sounds of one explosion after another. On the ground, Sakura and Syaoran watched as Algol became more engulfed in explosions. Syaoran kept his eyes on it as he walked towards Sakura. Finally, the giant Cyber exploded under the strain, resulting in a bright flash that illuminated the sky. Both Sakura and Syaoran looked away and closed their eyes, and only when the light faded away did they look skyward. When they did, they saw no sign of Kaizer Cyberon or his minions.  
  
Her eyes half-open, Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "Yatta," she whispered. She gave in to exhaustion and fell back. Expecting to feel the hard ground, she found herself landing in something soft. Sakura recognized the torn green fabric surrounding her and looked up. "Syaoran-kun," she whispered, looking into his brown eyes.  
  
Syaoran smiled. "You did it, Sakura. You did it." He spotted two thin objects flying towards them, and he snatched them out of the sky as Sakura feebly reached for them. "These are yours," he told her softly as he handed them to her.  
  
Sakura looked at the two Sakura Cards in her hand, then smiled. "Arigato, Light-san, Hope-san." She swore she saw the figures on both cards smile back at her.  
  
Syaoran hugged Sakura close to him, and the young Cardmistress briefly saw green before tilting her head upward. Reaching around him, she hugged him back, holding Light and Hope tightly as she did. Both young magicians remained silent, already knowing how they felt in their hearts about each other. Around them, a devastated Tokyo continued to stand. 


	21. Epilogue: Nightfall

The Enemy Revealed  
Epilogue: Nightfall  
  
As Sakura and Syaoran continued to hold each other, their friends began to stir. Shaking off the Kaizer's previous use of Syaoran as a wrecking ball, Eriol used his Sun Staff to lift himself off the ground. Upon seeing Sakura and Syaoran together, Eriol broke into a small smile despite the aches he was feeling all over his body. Blinking, Meiling got off Tomoyo and Maya after regaining her senses. Seeing their eyes flutter open, Meiling knelt besides them. Maya was the first to rise, and Tomoyo fully regained consciousness when she felt the hard surface of her camcorder next to her.  
  
"Well, that...hurt," Maya remarked as she rubbed her head.  
  
Tomoyo looked at Meiling. "Did Sakura-chan...win?"  
  
Meiling looked at Sakura, who was still hugging Syaoran. "She did," she said, smiling at the sight.  
  
Eriol shifted his gaze from the young couple to the others. Feeling sore, Ready was lifting herself off the ground with her Starlighter Staff. Seeing Brandon, she made her way towards him just as he was coming back to his senses.  
  
"Need a hand?" the young Starlighter asked, offering hers to her ex-enemy.  
  
Blinking, Brandon soon shifted to blushing. Nevertheless, his own hand shot out to Ready's, and he was pulled up. Eriol smiled as Brandon was back on his feet, his face almost as red as Ready's hair. He kept his gaze in the opposite direction, hoping his face would regain its normal color.  
  
"Still alive there?" Ready asked half-jokingly.  
  
"Er, yeah," Brandon said, still looking away.  
  
The Guardians also recovered gradually. The now human Yukito and Nakuru winced a little from being trounced by the Kaizer. Nursing his arm, Umbriel sat right up and examined his surroundings. He said nothing as he watched Ready help Brandon up. Grumbling, Kero-chan got up and checked each of his wings by flapping it. "Lousy evil kid," he said. "Guy needs a good..." He stopped when he saw Sakura and Syaoran together, and steam started shooting out of his ears. "Why that kid..." he began, his little paws balling into fists as he willed himself to change. "I'm gonna really..."  
  
"Kerberos!"  
  
Before he could try to transform into his true form, Kero-chan felt something leapt at him from behind. Two gray arms wrapped themselves around his chest, and Lupe's head appeared on his shoulder. "Nani?" the Sun Guardian exclaimed.  
  
"I'm so glad you're all right!" Lupe said, beaming and blushing brightly. Her hold on Kero-chan tightened, and all the Sun Guardian could do was gasp in response.  
  
Conscious, Suppi-chan smiled as Kero-chan tried to fly out of Lupe's grip. He managed a small chuckle as his counterpart's eyes bugged out under the pressure. "Poor Kerberos," he said with amusement. His enjoyment of Kero-chan's little plight ended when he found himself being lifted from the ground and being hugged tightly by someone.  
  
"You're all right, Suppi-chan!" Nakuru said excitedly as she hugged him to her chest. He tried to say "Let me go!", but it came out muffled.  
  
"Oy," O.G. remarked upon seeing Lupe glomp Kero-chan, his eyes rolling skyward behind his shades. Besides him, Pegasus Uni shook her head.  
  
"Oh my," Yukito remarked, rubbing his head as he surveyed the destruction around him. Seeing Sakura and Syaoran together, he smiled.  
  
Hearing everyone, Sakura looked at her friends while still holding on to Syaoran. "Minna, you're all right!"  
  
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"  
  
All eyes were on Tomoyo. "What's wrong, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked her friend.  
  
"My camera!" Tomoyo held the broken camcorder in her hands. "All that beautiful footage of you is ruined, Sakura-chan."  
  
Sakura sweatdropped, and everyone else tried their best not to face fault. Maya looked at the damaged camcorder over Tomoyo's shoulder. "Hmmmmm...I think the footage is salvagable. With my tools, I could probably recover it and even fix your camera."  
  
"You can?" Tomoyo said happily.  
  
"Or you can use some magic," Brandon remarked loudly. "We are magicians, you know."  
  
"At least some of us are," Syaoran muttered to himself.  
  
Brandon's ears picked up the insult. "What did you say, Greenbean?"  
  
The young Shadowwalker tried to rush out and tackle Syaoran, but Ready kept him back. "Cool it!" she warned, getting him into a headlock.  
  
"Lemme at him, lemme at him!" Brandon yelled.  
  
Eriol sighed as Brandon struggled in vain to break free of his friend's grip. Meiling grinned at Tomoyo and Maya, who grinned back in return.  
  
"It's over, Sakura," Syaoran told her. "You did it. You saved us all."  
  
"I had help," Sakura said, holding up Hope and Light.  
  
Still smothering Suppi-chan, Nakuru ran up to her master. "Eriol!" she called.  
  
Breaking free, Suppi-chan flew up to Eriol and looked him over. "You look okay," he commented.  
  
"Well, I will be when we get home," Eriol said.  
  
"Kaho will be happy to see you," Nakuru said cheerfully.  
  
Eriol bowed his head, and both of his Guardians swore his cheeks were reddening. "Yes, I suppose she will."  
  
Despite being occupied with restraining her Shadowwalker friend, Ready managed a smile as she watched Eriol. "She will be, Eriol!" she shouted, making him blush even more.  
  
Putting Hope and Light away, Sakura turned away from Syaoran and looked skyward. "It's too bad that we couldn't save Kaizer Cyberon."  
  
Brandon stopped struggling. "What? You feel sorry for that...that...that maniac?" He got out of Ready's grip. "He nearly killed us!"  
  
"He was just a kid like us," Sakura said. "I wish we could've found out who he was."  
  
"I'm afraid we can't do that," Syaoran said calmly, placing his hand on her shoulder. "No one could have survived that blast."  
  
"Don't be too sure, Mr. Li."  
  
The voice had come out of nowhere. Syaoran assumed a defensive position in front of Sakura, who was joined by Tomoyo and Meiling. To Kero-chan's relief, Lupe had let go of him and returned to the side of her mistress. Pegasus Uni and Umbriel joined Ready, and O.G. returned to Brandon's side. Kero-chan and Yukito quickly joined Sakura and Syaoran. Nakuru and Suppi-chan stayed very close to Eriol. Although they still felt too weak to transform, the Guardians stayed close to their charges. Everyone scanned the area for the speaker.  
  
"Oh, come on!" Brandon said, brandishing his Shadowwalker Rod. "It can't be..."  
  
"Syaoran-kun, it's..." Sakura began.  
  
"Show yourself!" Syaoran yelled, keeping his sword out. Umbriel drew out his own weapon and guarded Ready closely. The other Guardians prepared themselves for trouble.  
  
A slow chuckle grew louder and developed into laughter. As it got louder, the armor-clad figure of Kaizer Cyberon materialized above them. To the onlookers, it seemed that he did not have a scratch on him.  
  
"Hhhhooooeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Sakura screamed.  
  
"What is this?" Meiling said in disbelief. "You're supposed to be dead!"  
  
His arms folded over his chest, the Kaizer grinned malevolently. "Did you think you bugs could kill me that easily? My power is far superior to yours!" he answered in a booming voice.  
  
"Superior?" Kero-chan glared at the Kaizer. "Sakura destroyed your overgrown statue!"  
  
"But she failed to kill me," Kaizer Cyberon said coldly. "That proves her weakness."  
  
"My weakness?" Sakura said.  
  
"It seems this has been a waste of time for me," the Kaizer commented. "I spent too much of my resources on such a weak little girl."  
  
"Sakura's not weak!" Syaoran yelled, thinking of sending a few lightning bolts the Kaizer's way.  
  
"Oh, but she is," Kaizer Cyberon said. "She couldn't save the people of Tokyo from my Cybers, she doesn't have the energy to fight me, and I doubt any of you has the power to challenge me. I could easily wipe you all out."  
  
*The people?* Sakura glanced at her surroundings.  
  
"Then why don't you?" Ready demanded.  
  
The Kaizer smirked. "Because that would be a bigger waste of my time, and I have more important things to do."  
  
"More important things to do?" Sakura wondered.  
  
The blue egg design on his crown glowing brightly, Kaizer Cyberon raised his arm. "Nightfall!"  
  
The Kaizer vanished, and a giant dark shape appeared above the city. It seemed to dominate the sky, and Tokyo Tower was dwarfed by it. A demonic mouth and eyes emitted red light through the darkness.  
  
"Is it another Cyber?" Meiling wondered.  
  
"Hhhhhooeeeeee..." Sakura said softly, staring at the dark shape. Syaoran stayed very close to her.  
  
Slowly, more of the object's features became visible. The face was on a platform with four massive cylinders shooting out from an upside down dome located on its bottom. One spike shot out of each side of the dome. On top of the platform sat a castle with four turrets. Each tower had a skull with a cone on its top and a claw grasping onto the platform at its foot. A skull was located where the gate should have been. A dome designed like a human brain with a spearhead shooting out of it sat atop the structure located within the main wall. Each side of the castle had a gate and two flat, slanted triangles pointing out of it.  
  
"What the hell is that?" Kero-chan said.  
  
"Eriol, what is that thing?" Nakuru asked anxiously.  
  
"My ex-prison," Eriol answered, his eyes never leaving the sight of the massive structure hovering above Tokyo.  
  
Kaizer Cyberon reappeared in front of the central skull; he was half the size of one of the skull's eyes. Despite being a speck in the eyes of the onlookers below, his voice still reached their ears. "Cyber Fortress Nightfall," he said. "It has enough firepower to turn Japan into a block of scorched earth. A mere thought from me, and I can make that a reality."  
  
Just as the last word left the Kaizer's lips, the gates opened, and two giant Worms shot out. Syaoran got even closer to Sakura, who was trembling at the sight of the monstrous Cybers. She honestly thought they would leap down to earth and begin attacking. Instead, they stayed on Nightfall and curled their bodies menacingly in the air while hissing and exposing their enormous fangs.  
  
*That feeling,* the young Cardmistress thought. *It's stronger now...*  
  
"However," the Kaizer continued. "I must move on. I need all of them to usher in the beautiful night, and I've wasted time here. Keep your precious Cards and Key for now, Cardmistress, but if you interfere with my plans, I'll make you and all you hold dear suffer."  
  
*All of them?* Sakura thought. Then, the question she wanted to ask escaped her lips. "What is this beautiful night? What are you after?"  
  
Kaizer Cyberon grinned. "You'll find out soon. Very soon."  
  
Breaking into evil laughter, the Kaizer vanished, leaving Nightfall to be viewed by Sakura-tachi. Soon, the massive fortress began to fade away, and a minute later, it was gone.  
  
Silence dominated the city until Ready addressed Eriol. "Shouldn't we be going after him? You know, stop him from whatever he's going to do?"  
  
"Yeah. It's not like he'll be hard to miss in that thing," Brandon agreed.  
  
"Let's bust 'em up!" O.G. yelled enthusiastically, waving his fist in the air.  
  
"Let's go get them!" Meiling added.  
  
Eriol bowed his head and closed his eyes. "It would be impossible to track down Nightfall."  
  
"Impossible?" Kero-chan looked at Eriol in disbelief. "Did you look at the size of that thing? It sticks out so easily!" He looked at Sakura. "Hey, what do you think, Sakura?" Not getting any response from her, he asked again. "Sakura?"  
  
Sakura was staring at the space which once held Nightfall. Although it was no longer in the sky, she still saw it with its skulls and giant Worms. She still heard the Kaizer's laughter echoing throughout the city. Then her thoughts shifted to the devastation around her. Her eyes went from the sky to the ground, and she found herself searching for the dead. During the battle with the Cybers, she had forgotten to check if there were any bodies lying around or buried in the rubble. She thought of the bodies she might have passed by without knowing and how many there were. Only the feeling of a hand on her shoulder snapped her out of it.  
  
"Sakura?" Syaoran asked softly.  
  
Sakura turned around and looked into Syaoran's brown eyes. For a second, neither of them moved. Finally, tears began falling from her green eyes, and she leaned against his shoulder. Syaoran felt the fabric there moisten with her tears, and her sobs increased in volume. All calls for a pursuit of Nightfall were thrown into the others' minds as they silently watched Syaoran hug Sakura tightly and heard her sobbing. 


End file.
